Walking Dead: Instinct
by Exile037
Summary: Sequel to Walking Dead: Survivor. After escaping Carver's camp. The group do whatever they can do to maintain their survival along with protecting a baby on the way. Can the group survive or will they die trying? Can they save themselves and the baby? Choices will be made. Lives will be lose. Survival and Instinct will be put to the test. And Journeys will eventually end. HIATUS.
1. Amid the ruins

Chapter 1: Amid the Ruins

Noah's narration

My name is Noah Kane, and I am a survivor in an zombie apocalypse. Before everything went to shit, I was just a college kid trying to get my engineering degree. In the next day, the outbreak started and the dead started walking as they begin attacking the living. My friends ended up dead and turned, leaving me run for my life as long as possible ever since the dead started walking. That's when I met Lee and Clementine while I was trying to get away, but we weren't the only ones looking to get away from the chaos. There was Kenny and his family, Carley a reporter for WABE, Doug, Lily and her pain in the ass father Larry. Since we made the motor-inn our camp and home, we've been getting supplies, defending ourselves from bandits and walkers for three months. Then, that's when we met Ben and Travis while looking for food the next day. Along the way we also dealt with a cannibal family in the farm, hell, we were lucky to make it out of there alive. Our luck changed when we found a station wagon filled with food and supplies, handling ourselves for three weeks. Unfortunately, our luck started to head south when the Save lot bandits raided the motor inn forcing us to leave. And as if things couldn't get worse, Lily went crazy and shot Travis in cold blood, Duck was bitten and Katjaa killed before Duck could be put out of his misery.

Four hours later, we met a couple name Christa and Omid. We also had a guy name before we reached Savannah. Clementine believed her parents were still alive, but Savannah itself was a walker hive. While our group stayed to find supplies in a mansion were we stayed, me, Lee, and Kenny went searching for a boat. Unfortunately for us and especially Kenny, a place called Crawford took every that was salvageable. Car parts. Engines. Food. Medical supplies. Everything was taken. That's when we met this girl name Molly and my mother who was still alive. We decided to sneak in to Crawford, grabbing what was needed for a boat Clementine had found. The items were simple: medicine, antibiotics, fuel and a battery for the boat. Then hell broke loose and we have to make a run for it, but those with us didn't survive. In the next day, Clementine and my mother... she was bitten leaving her, Lee, and the group to find Clementine while I stayed behind to look after. But, Vernon the person that help us when Omid; had a infected leg knocked me out and took the boat for himself. Unfortunately for him, a walker killed him on the boat after I saved Vernon's group after he left them to dead. My mother wasn't getting any better either, even with her arm cut off due to the others thinking it would stop the bite. Even after we saved Clementine from the guy on the radio, she still died from blood loss. So Lee had to kill her while she was still human after she and I said our goodbyes. After that, we left Savannah for good.

For two years, we stayed with Christa and Omid. But we got separated from them, leaving only me, Lee, Clementine, and Carley. In the end, another group found us. Luke, Pete, Vince, Eddie, and Stephanie. Right up when they all thought I was bitten from the bite mark on my arm, which was a dog before I met them. Speaking of which, that's how me and Clementine found a Siberian husky name Milly. Long short story, I got put in a shed while Vince took a few people to look for any of Lee and Carley, or Christa and Omid. They wanted to make sure I was telling the truth so they decided to lock in that shithole shed right until a walker came out and attacked me. Luckily, I killed the damn thing and they all knew I wasn't bitten by a walker. Even Vince did when he found out they locked me in a shed, without him and the others knowing while he also had found Lee and Carley. That's when we got to make the cabin group. There was a wary pregnant woman name Rebecca, her husband Alvin. There was also the group's doctor, Carlos and his fifteen year old daughter Sarah.

Right after we met the group in the cabin, our lives have changed. Their friend Dre Mitchell and was killed when we left the cabin because of a asshole name William Carver. And since me and Clementine were there instead of Luke, Carlos, or anyone in the cabin group; they'd be knee deep in shit. So, we went on the move for five days in order to get away from Carver. Our destination lead to a ski resort where me, Lee, Carley and Clem had seen a surprised return of Kenny. I couldn't believe he was still alive myself. Unfortunately, Carver found out anyway and killed Walter from the ski lodge. That bastard took everyone, everyone except me, Luke, Vince, and Eddie. And with Milly sniffing on their trail, we were going to get our people back. And as things couldn't get shocking, we saw Doug and Ben alive who were in my old group. It turned out Ben and Doug survived from the muck, just like me, Lee, Clementine, and Carley when we left Savannah. Our plan: sneak inside Carver's Community, find a way to get our people out without being, and make it safe from the walker herd. But, that plan didn't go so well. Luke ended up being and so did me and everyone else who wasn't caught by him. We manage to get out, covering ourselves in walker blood after Carver was dealt with. But it want worse when Carlos was shot and started to get eaten by walkers, leaving Sarah to panic over the loss of her father. And now, now we're still trying to get the hell out of that fucking hellhole.

End narration.

"Clem!" Sarita panicked with the walker still biting on her wrist. "Ben!" and with one stroke, Sarita's arm was chopped off with her hand on the floor as she let out a blood cluttering scream. She looked frightfully at Ben and Clementine. "You... You..."

"Sarita, you have to remain-" Ben began with, but was cut off by Sarita

"You..." she trailed off as a couple of walkers lunged at her, with one biting her neck and the other biting her left arm as she screamed in pain and horror

Noah and Stephanie saw Sarita being attacked. "Oh god..." Stephanie gasped

"Come on!" Noah exclaimed as Mike, Doug and Kenny made their way to Sarita

"Sarita, Sarita!" Kenny fell on his knees staring down at Sarita's corpse. "No! You can't die! I won't let you." he said emotionally breaking out

"Kenny, we need to move!" Doug shouted, hacking a walker's head off. "There's too many of them out here!"

Noah and Stephanie made their way toward them. "Ken, she's gone." Noah tried to tell the man who was emotionally compromised

"Leave us ALONE!" Kenny yelled scaring Ben, Stephanie, and Clementine except for Noah

"She was bit! We-" Clementine was interrupted when she tried to explain

"This is both of your faults!" Kenny shouted glaring at Ben and Clementine. "You had no fucking right, Clementine! Especially you, shitbird!"

"Shut up, Kenny!" Ben shouted back, glaring at Kenny as Ben was becoming irritated when Kenny, Doug, and Mike made a run for it. "I'm sick of his bullshit. What did he expect us to do?" he muttered as he saw Luke, Nick, Pete, and Reggie going after Sarah.

"Come on, Clem!" Noah grabbed Clementine's hand as he walking steadily as he lead her, Stephanie, and Ben. "Walk like the dead. Walk like the dead." he repeated to them with Clementine being grabbed from behind, leading it to be only Rebecca. "Rebecca?"

Stephanie wrapped Rebecca in a quick hug. "Thank god. We can't find anyone else."

"What do we do?" Rebecca asked frightened

"We stay together and keep moving. We're still covered in walker blood." Noah stated, motioning his hand for everyone to follow him. "Where's Lee and Carley?"

"I saw them go with Vince and Eddie." Rebecca said. "Bonnie, Wyatt and Russell went with them."

"Shel and Becca was with them too." Stephanie added when she spotted a woman in her twenties. Same short cut chestnut hair wearing a tan jacket and gray pants. This woman the person they met in Carver's camp, Jane. "We should follow Jane."

"Follow her. That's our way into the woods." Noah declared as he glanced at Clementine who looked back at him. "We're going to make it, Clem. Just stay close, alright?"

Clementine nodded. "Yeah."

"Walk don't run. It'll track too much attention." Noah said to them, almost heading into the woods. He glanced at Rebecca who was following beside Stephanie. "And you still know the way to Parker's Run?"

"Should be a few miles out." she stated. "We'll probably reach there in the morning."

"Good. Now everyone else, walk... SLOWLY..." Noah told him as they headed into the woods

`0`

Noah and the others continued heading for Parker's Run, with it now being daylight. Things were on Noah's mind such as Rebecca's condition, where Sarah ran off to, and how compromised Kenny is. He remembered seeing it happen to Kenny before, back with Katjaa and Duck. Now he was re-living the same situation with Sarita. After they wipe off the walker blood on their clothes and faces from a lake east of them, Noah lead everyone else to Parker's Run. He wasn't paying attention to the conversation Rebecca was having with Ben and Clementine. That was until Jane began to talk.

"If they aren't... nothing we could do about it." she said with no emotion

"She's right." Ben agreed

"Don't even say that!" Rebecca scolded Ben

"Sorry." Ben apologized. "I'm just thinking out loud here."

"Let's keep moving. I doubt that herd would still be following us." Noah said to them

"All we have to do is a good pace." Ben replied

Rebecca shook her head. "It was stupid."

Jane glanced over her shoulder at Rebecca. "What? Escaping?"

"Look, I know we all agreed to use the herd to get out. But..." Rebecca paused as she looked down. "maybe we should have been more patient."

"The plan worked." Noah said. "There's nothing to worry about. Although, things couldn't have fucked up so quickly."

"Look, I know some of your people didn't make it, but Carver was crazy." Jane started taking a quick glance back. "Staying there would have only prolonged the inevitable. I'm just saying that if people hadn't panicked, things might have turned out better."

"Of course! We panicked! We were scared!" Rebecca exclaimed

"The plan was good! The execution was the messy part." Jane stated

"Sounds like you're saying it was their fault." Stephanie said cocking her head

"What? No! No, that's not what I'm saying. Just-" Jane was cut off when Rebecca clinched her stomach, feeling the baby move inside her

"I have to stop." Rebecca said. "I'm sorry. I don't want to slow us down. Can I just take a minute?"

Jane sighed. "Yeah. Take a minute."

Rebecca cried silently with Stephanie placing her hand on Rebecca's shoulder. "Alvin was suppose to be here for this." she sobbed quietly

"Kenny might know what to do, right?" Stephanie asked staring at Noah while Ben looked away

"Yeah. He's been a dad before." he stated

"Let's hope he made it to the meet-up point, then." Jane stared down at Rebecca's pregnant bump on her stomach. "What are you going to do with it?"

"What do you mean by that?" Rebecca inquired glaring at Jane

"Sorry, it was nothing." Jane said, changing the subject

Rebecca turned to glare at her. "No. What do you mean by that? Do with what? My baby?!"

"Rebecca..." Ben said trailing off, trying to ease the situation

"I'm just looking at the worst case scenario." Jane explained. "You, Clem, Noah, Stephanie and Ben won't be able to raise a baby by yourselves. Not out here."

"We know it's going to need food and other stuff, but..." Ben trailed off rubbing the back of his neck while looking away

"We'll look after it. Together." Clementine said

"Even if that's the case, you can't always protect everyone." Jane stated

"And you assume I won't be capable enough." Rebecca said stepping back. "Just before you're some angry loner who doesn't care about anyone but herself, doesn't mean you know better than me."

"Guys..." Noah started, trying to ease the situation before it got out of hand

"Hey! I've seen it before. Back when it started... me and my sister, we were-" Rebecca cut Jane off

"What!? She died?!"

"Rebecca..." Noah raised his voice trying to stop the argument

"I don't need your pity!"

"Rebecca!" Noah yelled stopping both of them arguing, with Jane glaring at her

"You don't... you don't have the right..."

"Oh, shit..." Ben muttered pinching the bridge of his nose

"Jane! She didn't mean it!" Clementine glanced at Rebecca. "Right?"

Noah sighed in agitation. "For once, I like not to hear any in-fighting... just this fucking once!"

"Come on, guys." Stephanie said with her, Clem and Sarah following Noah, Ben and Jane to Parker's Run. Stephanie caught a quick look and saw the others. "There they are."

Bonnie smiled. "Thank god. It had been so long."

"Clementine!" Carley and Lee wrapped her in a embrace. "Are you okay?" Lee asked

"Yeah. We were starting to worry you guys wouldn't show." Vince replied

"Well, besides..." Mike glanced over to Kenny

"How's Kenny doing?" Ben asked

Mike and Bonnie glanced at each other, then back at Ben. "I tried talking to Kenny, but he flipped out on me."

"Started yelling. Scary shit too." Russell added

"We have seen him like this before." Lee glanced at Kenny. "With his family. But after Sarita, we're not even sure."

"Hell, I'm even nervous going near him. He could kill me just by looking at him, man." Wyatt said

Jane quirked her eyebrow at Wyatt. "What, you think he's gonna shoot you?"

Becca shrugged her shoulders. "He might. Guy's crazy."

"Becca." Shel scolded, shoving her sister a cold stare before glancing at Lee and Noah. "He's not thinking straight."

"I should go talk to him." Clementine looked down. "This is my fault."

"Hey." Jane looked at Clementine. "You did what you thought was right."

"She's right, Clem. There was nothing anyone could have do." Ben told her as she walked over to Kenny

"I swear if he even blames her for what happened..." Lee started with Carley gripping his shoulder

"Lee... don't." she said with the others heading to the left side

"You think I don't what y'all are whispering about over there?" they heard Kenny say. " 'What's wrong with Kenny? Why's Kenny acting that way? Do you think Kenny's okay?' "

"Looks like he overheard us." Vince muttered

"No shit." Russell muttered

"I'm going over there." Noah declared

"Noah..." Stephanie trailed off when Noah made his way to Kenny and Clementine. "Ben, what are you-" Ben interrupted her

"I'm going over there too."

"We need your help to think of a plan-" Clementine was cut off by Kenny

"Grow the fuck up and look around you, Clementine." Kenny growled. "Take a look at our LAST plan worked out. There ain't some boat, or some train, or some other bullshit outta this one. Don't you already think you've done enough for today?" he kept his glare on Clementine, while Noah glared angrily at Kenny

"Don't you fucking dare pin this shit on Clementine. She had to make a call." Noah snarled glaring directly. "Her and Ben when we were escaping! It was a split second decision that they had to make. You can't blame both of them for that! Especially Clem!"

Kenny ignored Noah and just kept his glare on Clementine. "You think because you're a little girl you can just get people killed and no one will care?" Clementine was looking sadder by hearing Kenny's rant. "That's because you're 'sorry' it'll magically go away? That's not how it works!"

Ben glared deadly at Kenny, sick of him blaming Clementine. "That's how it always works!" he snapped in a shout as Kenny glared at him, shocking everyone that Ben suddenly lashed out at a emotionally comprised Kenny. "Ever since everything went to shit, that's how all of this started! We have lost friends! Families! People we cared about because of this. That's how any of this shit has always worked! You are not the only one. A lot of people have suffered way worse than you have, Kenny! So, CHILL the fuck out!"

"CHILL? CHILL!? That's a great idea!" Kenny growled in sarcasm. "Hey bandits, here chill! Here! Have some of our pills! Hey, Sarita! Here chill, I'll cut your fuckin' arm off!"

"Not everything is my fault." Ben snarled, nearly pushed to the edge as he got furious at Kenny

"I can't point to one thing that's not somehow YOUR fault!" Kenny snapped as Ben's eyes popped up after what Kenny said, with Ben's fist balled up. "Lee should've let you die in Crawford. We got enough problems."

Then something unexpected happen, Ben sent a strong mean left jab across Kenny's face as he fell on the ground. The gun in Kenny's hand dropped as Ben grabbed it, kneeing down on with Ben aiming the barrel of the gun at Kenny's eye. Everyone's eyes were widened with shock as Ben glared venomously at Kenny, his finger on the trigger.

"Fuck you, Kenny!" Ben growled

"Ben, don't-" Noah cut Clementine off by holding her back

"No, Clem. Let him." Noah glanced back at the group. "Let him have this one." he shouted to the others, still holding Clementine in place

"I am so sorry about Katjaa and Duck. Especially Sarita. Really I am, dead serious here. I know that I fucked up a lot, but stop blaming Clementine for Sarita's death and stop wishing I was dead!" Ben snarled, keeping his glare fixed at Kenny as the bearded man prepared to speak. "No! You knew how they both died, you've even said goodbye. I never even got to say goodbye to my parents and my little sister. Do you get that?! When me and Doug left Savannah, I saw my parents and little sister as walkers. I had to put my own family down. Do you have any idea how that feels to put down your family that got turned into walkers!? I saw a blue butterfly clip on the walker's girl head, and that let me know it was them. I had to put my own family down! You're lucky you didn't have the chance to do that!" Ben's finger was steady on the trigger. "Now here I am, dealing with your bullshit. The only person that's hear to blame for what's happened to any of us is because of you. Because of you on never thinking shit straight and charging head on at a problem, everyone pays the price for your mistakes! Sarita especially paid the price for your dumbest mistake of all! Killing me will NOT bring Katjaa and Duck back! So, how about you shut the fuck up, take responsibilities for your own goddamn actions, and give me a FUCKING break!?"

"Get that fuckin' gun off my face!" Kenny snapped in a threatening tone

"I swear to God I was pull this trigger, and fucking end you once and for all!" Ben threatened slowly squeezing the trigger. "All I have to do is squeeze, but now I know that death would be just too easy for you." Ben stood up while he kept the gun aimed at Kenny. "If you want to kill yourself..." Ben then unhook the clip of the magazine, only for one bullet to remain in the chamber. "Then fucking do it. Put yourself out of your own pathetic misery." he growled throwing the gun down on the floor. "Because deep down of it all, you will always be more of a fucking coward than me."

"Hey, enough!" both Ben and Kenny glanced at Noah. "Ben, I got this. Just go and sit with the others." he told Ben as he and Clementine went back to the group

"Now you're taking his-" Kenny was cut off when Noah picked him and slammed him to a wall

"I am sick of your 'either with me or against me' bullshit." Noah growled keeping a hard glare fixed at Kenny. "This is exactly what happened back in Hershel's farm two years ago. When me and Lee were trying to his son Shawn, you just ran away."

"I was tryin' to save my son!" Kenny snarled

"Duck was already saved when you got him out of that hold!" Noah shot back. "You looked Shawn right in the eye and you just ran away. You leave him to die because of that one simple decision! You could've told Duck to go to Katjaa and helped us save him!"

"You've made some fucked up decisions." Kenny retorted

"I'm not the only one." Noah countered back. "You tried to kill Larry with that salt lick at the St. John's farm when I told you not to just in case if he didn't turn. I told you to do it if he turned! You're also the one that tried to kill my mother back in Savannah!"

"You knew she was bit!" Kenny snapped in a growling tone. "You knew her arm was cut, and you knew she was near to dying and turnin' into one of them!"

"She wasn't going to die at the time. You were just too damn scared, acting like a coward like you did in Hershel's farm!" Noah snarled. "You can pin what happen to Sarita on me, you can pin it on Lee, Ben and even Luke if you want; but you don't ever blame Clementine for what happened to her. Do you understand me?" Noah avoided a punch from Kenny, grabbing his wrist along with headbutting him in the nose. "And if you don't like this, you can go to Wellington on your fucking own and out of my damn sight for all I care. But know this; if you ever lose your shit like this again, I will fucking shoot you down myself." Noah said, throwing Kenny on the ground while he made his way to the others, except for Lee, Clementine, Stephanie and Jane. "Where's Lee, Clem, and Jane? Did Stephanie go with them or something?"

"They went scouting in the woods to see if they could find the others." Ben answered. "It happened while you and Kenny were arguing."

"Then that's where we're going." Noah declared staring at Ben. "You're coming with me too."

"Alright." Ben replied as him and Noah headed to the woods

`0`

Noah and Ben walked into the woods, trying to catch up with Jane and Clementine. During the walk, both of them have been quiet after the ordeal with Kenny. All the timed Ben had been with their old group, Noah never imagined him losing himself that much. What happened in Parker's run was the first time he had ever seen Ben lash out at Kenny. Once they would get back to the others, they would see if Kenny left or not. If he did, good riddance. But if he did, they remain unsure of what to do. No one in the group had no idea how to deliver a baby, especially in these times in the apocalypse. Then finally, Ben began to break the long silence.

"Listen, about Kenny..." he started

"I can't believe you went off on him like that." Noah said incredously. "Never seen you like that before. I have to admit, that took some serious balls!"

"I can't believe I did it either." Ben said agreeing. "When I think back to Crawford, with me telling Kenny the truth. I probably shouldn't have told him in the first damn place. I should have told him when we were back in the mansion."

"Yeah, you really shouldn't have." Noah pointed out. "That was a fucking mistake."

Ben shook his head to his past ignorance. "God, I was such a pussy back then."

"Not really."

Ben glanced at Noah with a stare. "Be honest."

"Yeah, you were pretty much a pussy." Noah confessed. "I remembered when you left Carley and Clementine back in Savannah with that small herd."

"I did. I can't believe I chickened out that much. Now, I'm not pussying out or anything. I guess I changed these two years." Ben came to a stop when him and Noah heard a car horn. "You hear that?"

"Yeah, I did. Come on!" Noah and Ben ran to where the sound of the car horn was coming from

Noah and Ben found the sound of the horn coming from a trailer park, along with three corpses dead that had a icepick hole in each of their eyes. Ben took the holster off the dead corpse as he threw it to Noah, equipped on his chest. They went on ahead when they spotted a walker Pete on the ground, with two open gush in his head resembling a hatchet cut. Noah wondered if Pete was here, then it was a possibly that Luke, Sarah and Reggie were here in the trailer park as well. Both of them took a moment of silence for Pete as they continued on forward, searching for any sign of Clementine, Lee, Jane and maybe Stephanie. Noah and Ben pressed on following the trail leading them to the others, with Noah having his K-BARs in his hands while Ben grabbed a switchblade from his pocket once they step out of the trailer. Noah caught a glimpse of Clementine and Jane inside a trailer next to them, leaving both him and Ben to rush in to help. They spotted Lee and Stephanie hack and slash weapons while Clementine and Jane went inside as Noah and Ben went to help. Noah struck his K-BARs in each of the walkers head while Ben launched his switchblade at the walkers, stabbing their eye sockets as the group went inside barricading the door using a drawer.

"Who's out there?"

Noah and Lee glanced at each other as they stared at the door. "Luke? That you?" Lee asked

A door opened to reveal Luke, Nick and Reggie. "Clem? Lee? Oh, thank god."

"Pete made a run for it, looking for help." Reggie stated. "Did you guys see him?"

"We saw him outside. He already turned when we came here." Lee explained in a sad tone

Jane showed a look of sympathy. "Look, he was out there. But we took of him, ya know."

Nick eyes went wide. "Fuck. FUCK!"

Luke went to put his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Nick..." Luke trailed off as Nick went back to the room. "When I heard ya'll banging through the door... I thought the walkers were coming to take the rest of us."

"Are you alright? Where's Sarah?" Lee asked

"I'm fine, it's just the ribs." Luke said. "Sarah... she's another story... I don't know what to do with her."

Noah glanced at Reggie. "Is she bit?"

"No, she's fine. It's just..." he replied trailing off as he stared to the room where she was. "You have to see this for yourselves." Reggie lead them to the room, where they spotted Sarah in a fetal position with her arms hugging her legs and her glasses gone. "Hey, Sarah. It's Lee, Noah and Clementine. You remember them, right?" Sarah glanced up to look at said three. "See? They're okay."

Noah kept his stare at Sarah, seeing the type of state she was in. "I think I know what this is about. I remember talking with Carlos and he mentioned something about her 'ceasing to function' if she got a glimpse of the real world."

"Yeah, you're right. Carlos mentioned that to me too." Reggie agreed. "She's losing it, is she?"

"I don't know if she is or not, but it looks like she is." Noah said truthfully as they heard loud banging on the door

"We're not outta the woods yet." Jane said

"Yeah, yet." Ben replied

"What are we going to do about her?" Nick inquired glancing at Sarah

Lee looked at Clementine. "Clem, you think you could talk to Sarah? Snap her back in reality?"

"Maybe. I don't know if she'll listen to me." Clementine replied

Jane could the walkers about to come in through the door. "Listen, I, uh..." she looked back at the others. "They're gonna tear this place apart pretty soon. We can't stay. So we gonna get her up, or we gonna..."

Noah looked at Clementine. "Clem, try to talk to Sarah." he gazed at Lee, Stephanie, Nick and Reggie as he spotted a skylight. "Lee, you and the others get up that skylight. Wait for us in the woods." he glanced at Ben, Luke and Jane. "Luke, Jane! Help me and Ben with that door. Clem, you just keep talking to Sarah."

Noah and Ben went to hold the barricade to the door as a couple of walker head popped up, with Ben slamming the door on both of them. Noah stabbed one of them in the head while he kicked the other as Jane and Luke helped Ben with the door. Noah glanced right to see Lee helping Stephanie up on the roof, while Nick gave Reggie a boost up as Lee and Stephanie grabbed his hand. Nick was the last up as Clementine went toward Noah and the other, while Sarah was being pulled up by Lee and Nick.

"Clem, did you snap Sarah back in reality?" Ben asked Clementine

"Yeah. I had to slap her to get her moving." she stated. "Lee and the others made it out."

"We're going to need something to boost us." Noah said

"We can't use the that refrigerator, and we sure as hell can't use that small box." Ben groused, holding the door

"Then we can use the furniture." Clementine suggested

"Wha-" Luke looked down. "Ah, shit."

"Clem, help Luke and Ben move that furniture!" Clementine did as what Noah told her to do, while him and Jane kept barricading the door

The door busted open with a couple of walkers trying to make their way inside, with Clementine and Jane stabbing their eyes. Noah impaled his K-BAR knives to a walker's head, ripping the head open as he tossed it to a walker almost inside. Jane stabbed a walker in the eye using her icepick as her and Noah ran to the room, closing and locking the door. Noah and Ben helped Luke up first, with Jane being next. Noah lifted Clementine up so Luke and Jane could bring her up on the roof. Ben and Noah were the last two in the room, with Ben helping him up as the walkers barged in leaving Ben to throw Noah up on top of the roof of the trailer.

"Ben!" Clementine shouted

"Go!" Ben yelled stabbing a walker in the head using his switchblade. "Get the hell out of here!"

Noah extended his hand for Ben to grab, only for him to swat it away. "Ben, what the hell are you doing?!"

"Get the others out of here, Noah!" he shouted to Noah as he stabbed a walker in the eye kicking it toward the rest of them. "Get them back to the meet-up point."

"Don't be fucking stupid, Ben. Climb up!"

Ben shut the door using the furniture as he glanced up at the other. "It's already too late for me." he stated as he showed them his bitten right arm, with their eyes widened. "I'll hold up here. And there is a bright side to this." Ben smiled as he brought out a .45 auto pistol. "I get my parents and my little sister again." he looked up at the others. "Now, you guys go. And stay alive as best you can."

Clementine looked down with a tear streaming down her face. "Ben..."

"This is what I want, guys. Just go."

Noah touched Clementine's shoulder as she hugged him, while the others jumped out the roof of the trailer landing on the ground on their feet. Clementine and Noah leaped off as well, landing on the ground while they walked with the others. When Lee was about to ask what happened to Ben, a gunshot was fired and answered his question. The trip back to Parker's run for silence before Clementine to make sure Sarah was okay. She was physically fine, but mentally was another story. Her father's death had took her hard, luckily Clementine was able to convince. But even she was not sure of Sarah's condition. That lead to Jane into telling the away group about her sister, Jaime. That she gave up on trying to live. Jane mentioned while her and Jaime were trying to get away from walkers on a five story building roof, Jane told her she could anything she wanted. That answer came to leaving her behind to die. Noah could get a feeling that Jane regretted it since then.

"I'm sorry about your friend." Jane said

"Ben wanted to die." Noah said back looking away. "There was nothing we could have done to save him."

Jane glanced back at Lee and Clementine, then back at Noah as Luke walked toward him. "Stef told me what went down in Parker's Run." Luke said. "Can I ask you something?" he asked with Noah nodding his head in reply. "That whole mess with Kenny, has your friend Ben ever lost his shit like that before?"

"No, that one was a first." Noah stated. "I still don't know if he talked some sense into Kenny, thought. I don't know if Kenny either shot himself in the head, or if he's still there when we get back."

Luke made his way toward Noah and Jane. "Lee told me Kenny lost it when Sarita died. That happened to him before, right? With his family?"

"Yeah. This time it was worse when Ben thought of shooting him. Ending him if he needed to, but he didn't. I think Ben figured out death would be too easy for him." Noah replied. "Let's just get back to the others."

Stephanie walked toward Noah after they step out of the woods. "Hey, are you alright?" she asked touching his shoulder

Noah pressed his hand against hers. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just..."

"Ben?"

"Yeah... Ben. I still can't believe he went out like that." Noah said, shooking his head after what happened at the trailer park. "He found peace in the end."

"Yeah. Yeah he did." Stephanie said as the them and the away group made it back to Parker's Run

"Holy shit. You guys made it!" Wyatt exclaimed

"Yeah, we wouldn't have made it with Lee and the others." Luke replied, with Carley and Bonnie helping Rebecca move forward as she glanced at Sarah

"Sarah, how you doing hon?" she asked as she reached out, with Sarah shrugging away from her near touch. "That's okay, sweetie. Whenever you're ready. I'm just glad you're here." Sarah kneel down while Rebecca noticed Pete and Ben missing. "But, wait... where's Pete and Ben?" she inquired as Nick looked away

"Rebecca, how about go we talk for a minute?" Stephanie asked as her and Luke went to Rebecca while Bonnie made her way toward Noah

"Let's just give 'em some space. There's something I need to talk to you about, too." she said to Noah

"Sure. What's this about?" he replied seeing Rebecca sob as Noah and Bonnie went a couple steps away

"I ain't gonna sugarcoat this. That baby's coming even faster than Rebecca's letting on." she said. "I was hoping you might know... does Luke know anything about babies?"

"No chance in hell. The only person who would something about this is Kenny." Noah replied as he looked left and right, then back at Bonnie. "Did he leave or..."

Bonnie looked at a tent to a two yards away. "He went in there after you and Ben left. Hasn't come out since. No gunshot in the tent so far, but we're starting to worry." she stated when Noah saw Lee and Clementine go inside the tent. "Guess it's up to Lee and Clem to get through to him, now."

"I'll be right back. I have to talk with Vince and Eddie for a minute." Noah said as he made his way to Vince, Wyatt and Shel. "Hey. How long has Kenny been in that tent?"

"I say about 12 minutes I think." Vince stated. "Lee and Clementine went inside to talk with him."

"Hopefully they're making progress." Shel said unsure. "We don't know what to do when Rebecca has that baby."

"Let's hope it doesn't come as quick as-" Noah was cut off by Luke

"Oh, shit! Does that mean what I think it does?" they rushed to see Bonnie and Stephanie checking on Rebecca

"What the fuck are we suppose to do?" Russell said

"Uh... how does it feel?" Eddie said as Kenny, Lee and Clementine came out of the tent heading toward the others

"It feels wet! That's how it feel!" Rebecca hissed

"What's going on?" Noah asked

"Rebecca's water broke! The baby's coming!" Carley exclaimed

"Fuck me sideways..." Noah glanced at Kenny who had his arms crossed. "Kenny, what do we do?"

"I need to think... gimme a sec." he said

"No way can Rebecca travel like this." Luke said

"He's right." Jane agreed

"Kenny..." Rebecca said trailing off

"Alright. We need blankets for one." he stated. "For the baby, and clean water."

"Good plan." Noah looked at Luke, Nick and Eddie. "Luke. You, Nick and Eddie check out the perimeter for walkers." he then turned to Mike, Bonnie and Lee. "Mike, you go with Bonnie and Lee to the museum a mile away." he glanced to see Jane heading to the maze, leading to the observatory. "Since Jane's going to the observatory," he paused to glance at Russell, Shel and Becca. "You three go with her."

Russell folded his arms giving a cold stare. "Why should I do what you say?"

Noah remember Vince telling about Russell of not trusting he did not know. "Do you want to stay here with Rebecca when she has the baby instead?" he asked Russell

Russell went bug eyed as he stared at Rebecca letting out a short groan. "I think I'm gonna go with Jane." he said as he retracted his question with him following Shel and Becca

"What about me?" Clementine asked

"It's up to you, Clem. You can go with Jane or head over to where Lee is." Noah told her as she went to the observatory to help Jane, Russell, Shel and Becca. "The same goes for you, Wyatt."

"You got it, dude." he said heading to the museum to meet up with Lee, Mike and Bonnie

Kenny walked up behind Noah and said. "Clem and Lee told me about Ben."

Noah quirked his eyebrow, waiting to see what Kenny would say. "And?"

"I'm angry as hell." he said bluntly

"But not at Ben." Noah stated.

Kenny shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe, maybe not. I never thought of it that way. And when Clem told me he gave his life to save yours even when he was bitten, I was lost for words."

"He surprised you?"

"The little shitbird did." Kenny replied. "I can't believe he had the balls to stand up to me and put his life on the line."

"You heard him when you were shouting at each other too." Noah added

"Yeah, I did." Kenny nodded. "I never really of it that way." he stopped a for a slight moment of pause. "Well, I'm gonna help out with Rebecca."

Noah glanced at Stephanie who was keeping an eye on Sarah, who was shaking in a fetal position just like back in the trailer park. "Yeah, you do that." he said as he walked toward Stephanie who was watching Sarah. "How she doing? Is she alright or is she still..."

Stephanie kept staring at Sarah. "She still in the same position she was in back at the trailer park. She comes out of it for a short while, but she's still mentally broken. But, with us... she might come around."

"And I need to teach her how to survive." Noah added

Stephanie looked at him a bit shocked. "You're going to teach her how to shoot?"

Noah turned to Stephanie with a serious yet firm look on his face. "We have to teach her eventually, Stephanie."

Stephanie sighed, knowing Noah was right. "You have a point. She needs to be taught sooner or later."

"I'll go talk with her." Noah said as he made his way toward Sarah. "Sarah? Sarah, are you there?" he asked crouching down to her level

She looked up at Noah from her downed position. "Hi."

"Hey. Do you remember when you asked me and Clem to teach you how to shoot?" Sarah nodded her head in a yes, as he brought out a suppresor from Carver's camp out of his pocket. "Well, I'm about to teach you how." he said placing five empty scotch bottles on the statue. "See those bottles? I want you to shoot them using this." Noah replied as he added a suppresor to the Glock 17 he was giving to Sarah. "Think you could do that?"

"I... I don't know."

Noah lined her position up as Sarah aim straight, moving the sight left. "Keep it to this position and keep it steady." Noah told her. "Aim down the sight. Lighten the barrell and squeeze the trigger." he said as Sarah fired off two shots, one shot the statue while the other hit a bottle

"I did it!"

"You still got four more to go, Sarah. Finish those four and you're through." Noah said to her as he went toward Rebecca. "Just remember to aim steady and line up the sight." he looked over to Rebecca as she leaned on a wall with her hand on her pregnant stomach. "How you feeling, Rebecca?"

"I'm just worried about this baby. And with Alvin gone..." she went to sobbing

"You'll get through this." Noah said now rubbing the back of his neck. "Alvin did what he did for you and the baby. He even gave us time to escape back at Carver's."

"He did." she said sadly

"He also wanted you to be strong." Noah told Rebecca. "Alvin also thinks you're getting a girl."

Rebecca shook her head with a small smile crossing her face. "That big dumbie." she looked at Noah. "Hey, Noah, thanks for the talk."

"Don't mention it." he looked at Kenny. "I'm going to go check on Lee and the rest at the museum."

"Alright."

Noah decided to make his way to the museum. He wallked almost half a mile out to the museum, where he spotted Lee, Wyatt, Mike and Bonnie. Mike was walking with two gallons of water while Lee and Wyatt packed up bows and quivers of arrows, along with a pair of calavary swords. Wyatt held out a batch of food supply of pears and snacks that would come from a vending machine. He spotted Lee holding on a coat as Noah looked closer to see a confederate coat.

"Is that a confederate coat?" Noah asked Lee

"Uh... yeah."

Noah thought for a moment, but shrugged it off. "It's the zombie apocalypse. Who gives a shit?"

"Good point." Lee said. "How's everything going?"

"Don't know. Clem and the others will probably be back when we get there. Hopefully there's a place for Rebecca to-" Noah was cut off when he heard Rebecca screaming. "Oh, fuck! Everyone move, now!"

Noah and the away group from the museum arrive back to the meet-up point where they spotted Clementine, Russell, Shel and Becca with the rest of the group. Noah and Lee noticed Rebecca cringing in pain as she felt due. Stephanie and Carley help Rebecca move as they made their way toward them.

"What's going on?" Lee asked

"Rebecca's showing contractions." Carley said. "She's having the baby!" everyone's else went wide

Noah's still went bug eyed. "Now?" his answer came in a form of Rebecca screaming. "Oh, fuck."

"Clem... Cle-Clementine!" Sarah yelled out as everyone's eyes went wide when they noticed walkers approaching

"We got walkers coming, man!" Eddie exclaimed

"How the hell did any of them get here without anyone noticing?! Where the hell is Luke?" Mike said

"That's a damn good question." Noah muttered

"He was suppose to help us with the perimeter!" Nick exclaimed

"We can deal with it later. Right now, we need to do something!" Russell exclaimed. "We need to get her someplace safe when she has that kid." he said referring to Rebecca

Kenny stood up with the crowbar in his hand. "You just keep that baby safe." he said heading toward the herd

"Mike, get the water! Eddie, you help him out!" Noah ordered

"On it!" they both said

Noah glanced at Shel and Becca. "Shel, you and Becca take everyone to the observatory."

"Me and Wyatt got the food! Vince, you and Reggie get the equipment!" Lee told Noah as him and Wyatt got the supplies while Vince and Reggie grabbed the equipment. "Clem, you get Sarah!"

Clementine looked at Sarah as she grabbed her hand. "Sarah, let's go!"

"Noah, I don't think he's okay." Bonnie said. "I mean, jesus..."

"I'm worried about Kenny too. But hopefully he's alright." Noah replied. "Let's just get to the observatory."

The group went into the fort wall, heading their way out to the observatory. A walker almost made its way toward Lee, only for a crowbar to bash its head in. He looked back and saw it was Kenny and Vince behind him. They went back to the group who were heading toward the observatory, with Noah and Clementine got up the stairs while Mike and Eddie opened the gate when they went inside. Bonnie locked the gate him right behind them. Noah and Clementine noticed the gate to the gift shop up, along with Luke and Jane laying beside each other.

"That's about as human as I felt in a long time. I almost forgot about-" Luke was cut off from Noah who interrupted him

"What the fuck?!" he outbursted seeing the two look at him and Clementine wide eyed when they noticed Jane zipping up her jacket and put on her boots

"Clem! Noah?! Jesus, guys. It's not... um."

"You two decide to have a good fucking?! Now of ALL times!?" Noah shouted as everyone went inside the gift shop, with Kenny showing an angry look on his face

"What the fuck are you two doing up here?" he demanded

Luke and Jane got off the floor. "Kenny, what's goin' on?"

"We've got God-knows-how-many walkers out which YOU were suppose to help Vince and Eddie to keep an eye out for." Kenny said pointing while Carley and Stephanie set Rebecca down

"Hey, hold on a second... just tell what's goin' on!"

"What's goin' on is that you reckless fuckin' moron." Kenny growled

"I'm reckless?! You know, you got a lot of nerve, Kenny!" Luke growled back

"Both of you shut the fuck up! Rebecca's having the goddamn baby!" Noah shouted to the two as Rebecca let out a scream

"They're coming up the fucking stairs!" Russell yelled

"Here. We should..." Luke trailed off before Kenny interrupted him

"You wanna help? Get out there and keep the walkers off of us!" Kenny ordered as he brought his attention to Rebecca giving birth. "I've been here before."

"Becca, stay here." Shel said heading out to the deck to help. "Help Kenny and Reggie with Rebecca."

"Lee, Clem! Could use your hand!" Noah said to them as he glanced at Sarah. "You too, Sarah!"

"I don't know if-" Noah cut her off

"You're ready." he told her as brough out the Glock 17 she used for practice. "If anyone doesn't have a icepick or a knife, use your guns and aim for the heads!"

They did what Noah told them to do, aim and shoot them in the head. Noah kept poking every walkers eyes out as Jane did the same. But more and more kept coming in while everyone kept shooting every walker heading up in the head. Noah glanced back to see Lee and Luke moving a cannon in order to barricade the gate. But as soon as they did, the weight of the cannon carried off collapsing a portion of the observation deck. And if thing could not get any worse, the support cable broke off as well, taking out right half of the deck down along with the stairs. Jane was hanging by the deck while Sarah fell down below, trapped in the deck debris leaving Lee and Russell to go down to go in order to break her free. Stephanie was hanging as well as she lost her grip, only for Noah to grab her hand in time and bring here up. Before Noah could tell Sarah to calm down in order for Lee and Russell to help her out of the jam she was in, a long piece of 2x4 landed on their heads as it knocked them out. While Noah and Vince were on their way to help Lee and Russell up, it was already too late for Sarah as she was eaten alive by walkers. Noah, Lee, Vince and Russell ran back up the rest of the deck.

"I'm sorry about Sarah."

"There was nothing we could have do." Noah said with all of them hearing a scream from Rebecca

"PUSH!" Kenny told her

"They're climbing up!"

"What?!"

"They're climbing up!" Jane repeated

Eddie put his hands on his head. "Does this shit ever end?!"

"What are we going to do?"

"We need to drop the deck!" Noah declared. "Clem, give me your hatchet!" Clementine threw her hatchet toward Noah who caught it

"He's right, he's right! Drop the whole deck!"

"Drop the... are you fucking crazy?"

"How are we going to do that?!" Shel inquired as Noah stood on the deck case in order to break off the support plate

Noah used the hatchet to hack the support plate, hacking it at least three times as the rest of the deck fell off crushing the walkers. After that, the madness was over. When they head back to the gift shop, they noticed Kenny holding a pale baby that was not breathing. Everyone froze in shock, even Rebecca.

"Is it... you know...?" Noah trailed off, only for the baby to suddenly cough and start crying with everyone's spirits lifted. "Oh, thank god."

"That was a close one." Lee said

"Damn right it was." Noah replied

`0`

Everyone else was asleep, with Stephanie laying beside Noah with her arm draped on his chest. Lee and Carley slept beside Clementine who laid her head on Carley's stomach. Luke and the others were asleep a couple hours, with Noah getting up when he saw Clementine holding the baby. It was a baby and he looked just like Alvin, Carver definetely was not the father. Noah was thankful for that as he gently grabbed Stephanie's arm, laid it on her stomach as he walked toward Clementine and Rebecca.

Noah smiled. "Well, you two are up. How's the baby boy?"

"He's fine. You want to hold him?" Clementine gave the baby to Noah, who held the baby boy in his arms as the baby scrunched up and start to cry with Noah rocking him in his arms

"Hey there, little buddy." Noah cooed. "There, there."

"That's so cute." Stephanie said leaning over Noah's shoulder as he rocked the baby

"Look at you two." Noah and Clementine glanced to see Kenny. "Like a big brother and sister."

"I'm more of a big bro to Clem. I'm more like a baby daddy with this one." Noah joked as Stephanie playfully hit him in the shoulder

"Here let me take him." Kenny offered as he took the baby from Noah's hold. "You guys should get your rest." he glanced at Rebecca after she stopped coughing. "Especially you."

"When's the last time you slept Kenny?" Rebecca asked

"Oh, about two years ago. I'm fine." he said nonchalently. "Besides, someone's gonna watch you while mama gets her beauty sleep." Kenny cooed as he sniffed the baby. "You never forget that smile." Kenny took the baby near the display table when Noah saw Clementine talk to Jane who was up before anyone else

"This is new." Noah muttered as he gazed at Stephanie. "I'll be right back." he told her as he walked over to Clementine and Jane. "Where are you going this late?"

"Shit."

"She's leaving." Clementine said

Noah folded his arms and stared at Jane. "What's the reason?"

Jane stared at Noah. "Listen to what I have to say. When shit hits the fan 'cause it always will, don't let them drag you down when it heads south. You don't owe them anything."

"I owe them everything. I probably wouldn't have made it this far without them." Noah said to Jane

"Well, they can't keep you safe or save you forever."

"No one isn't safe forever." Noah replied. "You know that, Jane."

Jane looked back at Clementine and Noah as she walked up to them. "You and Clem take care of yourselves, Noah." she said. "I mean that. Tell Lee and Carley that too." Jane pulled out a nail file extending it to Clementine

"Here." Clementine grabbed the nail file and put it in her pocket. "Vesatility is not overrated." Jane stated. "I um..." she glanced at Noah. "I gotta go." she said, heading down the step and leaving for good

"Reminds me with Molly back in Savannah." Noah muttered as Luke approached them

"Hey. Thought you two be asleep by now." he glanced down to see Clementine's sad expression. "Are you okay?"

"It's nothing, Luke. Don't worry."

"Temperatures droppin' and there's a high chance it'll probably snow. So, as soon as its clear..." Luke took a quick glance at Noah and Clementine. "me and Jane can head into town. See what we can find." he said as Noah shook his head, with Luke see him nod a no. "What?"

"Jane left for good." Noah said to Luke

"What? When?" Luke asked with the surprise tone in his voice

"Just now." Clementine answered

"Well, she didn't saw anything about leavin' to me." Luke angrily walked toward a wall. "What the fuck?!" he said hitting a wall. "Dammit!"

"Hey!" all three turned to see Kenny holding the baby and Lee. "Keep it down."

"Sorry." Luke apologized. "It's just... Jane's gone."

Lee blinked. "Just now?"

"Really?! Luke? Off all the childish bullshit..."

"Childish..." Luke walked away from Kenny. "You know what? Back up, Kenny."

"No. You put all of our lives, this baby's life at risk so you two could roll around like fucking teenagers!"

"I made a mistake. Is that enough?"

"No, it's not."

"Goddamn it, you two are acting like dumbasses!" Noah butted in. "All you two do is fucking argue every time."

"I'm sorry, okay. I know I fucked up, but Jane made a offer. And look around you. Everything is SHIT. So forgive me for enjoying something ELSE!"

"We get it. But this baby is what matters, Luke." Lee said. "So could you and Kenny put aside your differences until we work out a plan for the baby?"

"Is everything alright?" Carley asked as Vince poked up

"Yeah, what's going on?"

Luke glared at Kenny. "Nothing." he said heading back to the gift shop

"We need a good place to raise him, which ain't here. We get Wellington. That's our best bet." Kenny declared

Noah looked off to a town in the distance. "But we could check out that town first. See what else we could find." he said taking the baby from Kenny's hands while Noah gave Rebecca her baby back

"We need to get on the road as soon as possible... we leave at first light."

"Whoa, whoa! What are you talkin' about? Rebecca needs her rest, a few days at least."

"We still got that baby formula." Bonnie pointed out

"What about the rest of us? We'll freeze our asses off here in this damn cold!" Russell replied

Clementine looked at the person beside her. "Noah?"

"We'll leave." he said as all eyes except Rebecca stared at him

"What are you-" Noah cut Luke off

"In a couple of days we'll leave." Noah finished glancing at both Kenny and Luke. "Give Rebecca a day or two to rest."

Kenny shook his head in disapproval. "This is a bad idea."

"I just need a day or two, Kenny. That's all." Rebecca reassured Kenny with Luke making his way toward her

"Just get some rest, Rebecca."

Noah saw Kenny frown at him. "My decision is made. You got first watch. After that is Lee, and then Luke. Everyone else get some rest."


	2. No going back

Chapter 2: No Going Back

Noah's narration

After staying for two days in the gift shop on the torn down observation deck, we decided to move up on the road. Snow fell out of the sky as it covered the ground, leaving the sleet making the road feel wet with melted permafrost. Kenny and Lee took point while Luke and me followed behind them. Before we left, I went back to Carver's Camp to search for anything useful. Carley and Clementine were behind me with Sarah beside them. Everyone else followed us through. Rebecca was not looking so good though, almost falling out of rest. Even though we press onward to the road, Kenny and Luke still argue. Hell, I even told them they weren't helping the group but arguing. After Luke said I was the one that agreed with him, I just countered back by saying he was suppose to be on watch for walkers a couple of days ago at Parker's Run. We all came to a stop after Rebecca collapsed when Stephanie and Bonnie set her to sit on a rock while she held her baby. Kenny knew she was getting worse too. Right up until Kenny and Luke started arguing again, I swear this two. That's when we found out someone was heading toward us. Clem said this guy, Arvo was who she and the group I sent over to follow Jane met before she left. Clementine mentioned him having a sick sister, but I kept my gun just in case this was a trap; and it was. We were surrounded by a group of people, six plus Arvo speaking in what I understood was probably russian. It made me if they were Russian mafia. Maybe, probably.

Apparently, they surrounded because Arvo said we robbed him. Clem, Russell, Shel, and Becca told us they didn't. That left me to think of one person that did steal their supplies: Jane. Now I knew why she left two days ago. She stole their supplies and let us take the fall for it. As for things couldn't get any worse, what remaining people of Carver's camp found us too. There was this guy Nate, someone Russell knew and never trusted since he met him. That would explain why Russell never trusted anyone new because of Nate. We did not NEED a fucking mexican standoff, especially not with Rebecca in her condition and her baby boy. However, our luck went south when... when Rebecca turned to a walker while everyone argued. I was left with no choice. I... I shot her in the head and that's when everything went today.

End narration

The sound of gunfire going on came into Noah's ears as he was down on the ground, Clementine laying beside him. One of them had a shotgun with a tattoo on the right side of his face shooting. Luke and Lee were taking cover from a stone hedge while Carley jumped in and took cover. With them was Shel, Becca, Russell, and Eddie. Wyatt went to help Vince get Mike who was with Bonnie during the shooting. Kenny was in a gunfight with one of the russian taking cover from a boulder, a few dead bodies that came from Carver's laid dead along with one of the russians. Noah and Clementine could hear the baby still crying as they saw Stephanie dead with a gunshot through the eye. Noah looked away from her corpse, spotting Arvo giving off CPR to the downed russian woman who was possibly his sister.

Nate on the other hand already left with half a dozen people in his group. Noah then saw a dead Tavia shot in the head and neck, a pool of blood laying everywhere. Although, seven from Carver's camp remained to settle a score between the group that escaped and the Russian mafia. Doug was dead with a pump full of lead inside his stomach. Reggie was killed at a shot to the face, bullet dead center into his eye. Nick moved Bonnie away so they could get to cover. Nick got hit in the shoulder as he felt, with Bonnie and Vince pulling him close to cover. Noah was taken aback by Clementine almost being when she crawled to save the baby. He snapped out of it and brought out his desert eagle. Noah fired off six shots at the russian covering by the boulder using an AK-47.

"Clem, go! I got the baby!" he shouted only for Clementine herself to run toward the baby, grabbing as she now ran to Lee and Luke while Noah ran to behind her and took cover beside them. "Nice one, Clementine!"

"Ah, shit! I didn't even see him." Luke said realizing was left behind. "Good work, Clem."

"Good job, sweet pea. Right now, we need to end this slaughter." Lee declared as Clementine handing the baby over to him

"My thoughts exactly." Noah agreed while he gazed at Clementine. "Clem, stay here with Carley and the others. Just give us some cover."

"Okay. we'll cover you." she said leaving her and Carley to give Noah and Luke covering fire

"Go!" Lee yelled as Noah and Luke ran, only for Luke to get shot in the leg

"Luke, no!" Bonnie screamed

"Russell, cover us!" Noah ordered as Russell gave them some covering fire again as he dragged Luke back into cover, shooting the russian with the shotgun in the process

"You two okay?" Carley asked

"Aside from my leg being shot, I'm fine." Luke replied. "I think it went straight through." a russian with the dead one's shotgun aimed at it Noah, only for a certain dog to bite his shoulder as Noah shot the russian in the eye and took his shotgun

Clementine smiled when she saw a familiar siberian husky. "Milly!" the dog named Milly ran and licked Clementine's face

"Good to see you, girl!" Noah exclaimed sctratching the dog's head

"Now there's only one to deal-" Lee was cut off when he saw Kenny holding Arvo hostage

"Come out now or I'll blow this kid's fuckin' brains out!" he shouted holding the gun to Arvo's head

"Kenny, what the hell are you doing?!" Noah yelled

"I'm ending this!" he exclaimed keeping Arvo hostage. "Get out here! Right fuckin' now!"

"Kenny, you're making things worse by doing this! We need to-" Noah paused when he saw one of the russian, female as a walker started to crawl toward Clementine. "shit!" Russell shot the female russian walker before Noah could

"NO!" Arvo shouted as he broke free from Kenny, running toward his dead sister. "Natasha! Natasha!" he glared at Russell, only for Arvo to be rifle butted him in the forehead

Noah raised a quirked eyebrow at Russell. "A little excessive, don't you think?"

"I wouldn't call it excessive." Russell muttered glaring at Arvo. "Especially not up to this point either."

The russian with the assault rifle was about to kill, until suddenly he started gurgling. Blood came from his mouth, turning around as a knife was stuck in the back of his neck. The cause will directed to a thing that stabbed him: Jane. Her expression was filled with shock and sudden horror at what she did. The man continued to gurgling violently in blood until Kenny shot him in the back of his head. Noah got up from the cover, seeing the gunfight was over and the coast to be clear.

"It's over. Everyone out." he said as the group did the same while Bonnie walked over to Clementine

"Here... I got him." she said as Clementine gave her the baby while Noah walked toward Jane with a blank stare

"I'm still mad at you, but thanks for coming back at least." Noah admitted folding his arms and showing a small grin

"I didn't know this man..." Jane trailed off looking down. "I've never killed someone that didn't wrong me in some way that didn't deserve it."

"Bastard deserved it. He was trying to kill us." Noah replied. "You can't always change what happens next."

Jane folded her arms. "Yeah that's why I did it, but... it felt wrong."

"Are you leaving or do you want to stick with us?" Noah asked crossing his arms, quirking his eyebrow

"I've been alone all my life. I'm tired of it." Jane answered. "I'm staying with you guys."

"Good. Come on, then." Noah and Jane walked over to the group who stared at the dead bodies of Rebecca, Stephanie, Reggie, and Doug

"I can't believe she turned like that." Shel said in a sad tone staring at Rebecca, then looking away from Stephanie's dead body

"Jesus Christ. She must've lost too much blood or something." Eddie stated. "Now we lost three more. Doug, Reggie, Stephanie..."

Carley looked away at Doug and Stephanie's corpse. "They're gone."

"You become a walker no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's what will happen. It'll keep happening to all of us." Noah stated remembering what Ben and Travis when the group first met them, leaving him to look away

"Don't you go blamin' yourself, Noah. You did what you had to... to protect the boy." Bonnie looked down at Rebecca's corpse. "Don't worry, Rebecca. We'll take good care of him."

"At least she's with Alvin now." Lee said when Kenny punched Arvo in the gut all of a sudden

"Whoa, whoa! Dude!" Eddie and Wyatt broke Kenny away from Arvo. "What the fuck?!" Eddie said

"You piece of shit!" Kenny spatted at Arvo with him pointing a gun at the young russian when Mike and Luke sat in front of Arvo

"Calm down, Kenny!" Lee said, still shocked of Kenny's current action

"Kenny, that's enough!" Carley exclaimed. "He's lost enough already!"

"And whose fault that is!" Kenny retorted aiming the gun still at Arvo

Lee glanced at Arvo and walked toward him. "Do you have a place? Somewhere with food and shelter?" he asked

"Yes, yes!" he exclaimed

"Bullshit!" Kenny snarled

"Kenny, enough! This is not the time for this shit." Noah growled

Becca folded her arms and gave Arvo a scowl. "What are you even telling us this anyway?"

"Becca." Shel gave her sister a cold stare

Becca scoffed. "No. I wanna know why."

"I don't want to see more people dead." Arvo pleaded as tears streamed down his eyes

"Then close you eyes, and I make it quick." Kenny growled in a threatening tone

"Kenny, we need the food." Clementine told him

"It doesn't matter." Jane said. "Trust him, don't trust him. It's still worth the risk. All we have to do is be careful."

Kenny glared at Jane. "You stay out of this! This is your fault these fuckers got after us in the first place!" he growled

"Don't go pinning this on me." Jane said defending herself

"Whose fault is it that they came after in the first place, huh?" Eddie folded his arms in agreement with Kenny

"She came back for us, Eddie." Luke said

"Look what the fuck happened, man!" Russell snapped. "Doug, Stephanie, and Rebecca. Even Reggie got killed because of this lone wolf bitch!"

"We know that. But she came back anyway." Lee replied. "She wouldn't even came back here if she abandoned us."

Noah looked at the group when were shocked at Kenny, like it was with Katjaa and Duck. Worse when Ben told him he was responsible for what happened to Katjaa, and Duck. Plus losing Sarita. Noah took a rope from the supply bag and tied Arvo's arms together. He gave Arvo one strong glare.

"Do you know where this place?" Noah asked Arvo

"Yes. It's not fair." he answered before Noah gave the tied Arvo to Russell

"Take us there." he ordered. "A word of advice: don't try to escape or otherwise..." Noah trailed off glancing at Kenny to Arvo. "he'll happened."

The group grabbed the weapons off the dead russians and a few from Nate's group as they pressed on the road. Arvo led them to the direction of the woods, with Russell and Kenny on point hot on his trail in case he thought of escaping. Noah looked back to see Clementine and Jane talking. Bonnie still held the baby while Shel and Becca moved up to Lee. Vince and Wyatt looked left and right while they walked to make sure no walkers were near, with Milly the dog following Carley and Eddie. Luke and Mike were behind Noah, seeing him quiet since Stephanie died along with Doug and Rebecca.

"Noah." Noah turned to look at Luke. "It's not your fault."

"As soon as I saw Rebecca turned..." Noah looked away for a short moment. "I put her down. Just like that. That was fucking unexcepted."

"Yeah. That was pretty unexpected." Mike replied

"Where you and her close?" Luke inquired

Noah quirked his eyebrow in confusion. "Rebecca? Not on a first day basics, no." he said to Luke

"I meant Stephanie." he stated

Noah looked down. "I think there was something. I don't know."

"She always liked you when you first met." Luke clarified. "Stef was one of us they didn't believe you were bitten."

Mike raised an eyebrow as he stared at both of them. "Bitten?"

"Long story short, they put me in a shed when they thought I was bit by a walker." Noah explained to Mike. "It was a damn laborder."

"Really?" Mike asked incrediously

"Yeah, really." Noah agreed. "Almost bit my ass off." the group were now in the woods, coming to a stop when Luke to wince in pain

"You alright?" Noah inquired

"My leg." Luke replied

"Let's all stop for a few minutes." Mike suggested

"Sounds good to me." Russell agreed

Kenny side glanced at the group. "Alright." he shift his gaze at Arvo. "Wait here." Arvo continued to walk, which seem to irritate Kenny as he knock Arvo over. "I said wait! When I tell you somethin' you fucking listen!"

Mike helped Noah set Luke down on a log before sending a cold look of disbelief directly at Kenny. "Kenny, come on! That's enough!"

"He understands." Noah said giving Kenny a hard glare

Kenny glared at the downed Arvo. "Just stay there." he said moving away from Arvo while Russell kept an eye on him

"I'm gonna go talk to him." Mike said as Bonnie gave him the baby. "He doesn't have to treat the kid like that."

"Go ahead." Noah said back as him and Bonnie went to tend Luke's leg wound. "Hand me that hydrogen peroxide, would you Bonnie?"

"Sure thing." Bonnie gave Noah the hydrogen peroxide as he splashed it on Luke's wounded leg, with Luke hissing in short pain from the sting. "What is it with you men?" she suddenly asked the two men

Luke and Noah looked at Bonnie confused. "What?" they said in unison while Mike and Kenny began to argue, leaving Clementine to take care of Kenny's bandages on his eye wound

"Every man I've met has to always show everyone how tough they are. Put 'em in their place." Bonnie explained. "Buncha alpha male dominant horseshit."

"Don't look at me. I'm not that guy." Luke said

Bonnie shook her head in disbelief. "Come on. You and Nick are known to get in your pissin' matches."

"Not all men are assholes." Noah replied tying a knot on Luke's wounded leg. "Everyone gets like that a lot. There's good people too. For starters, there's me and Lee."

"I always wondered if Lee took charge." Bonnie said glancing at Lee who was speaking to Carley. "Probably do a better job than Kenny."

"Lee does lead us sometimes." Noah added. "It has gotten us in better terms. Even when I led the group at one point."

"I look to see where I am. All of my friends, just gone." Luke mentioned. "Alvin, Pete, Boyd, Rebecca, Carlos, Sarah, and now Stephanie."

"There still those three." Noah pointed at Nick, Vince, and Eddie with his thumb

"And they're probably thinking the same thing. Except maybe Vince."

Luke looked to see Jane talking with Kenny and Mike. "Guess it took a woman to talk some sense into 'em. Looks like Jane broke it up."

"Good thing." Noah stood up giving Lee a nod

"All right, everyone. Let's get a move on."

`0`

It was sundown as the group found a power station down below the hill. They decided to make camp as everyone got settled in for camp. A fire is started where Noah is keeping first watch. Jane was standing beside a fence left of Noah while Russell tied Arvo to a grid line. Everyone else was talking about something he could not make out. He saw Kenny with the baby, AJ. Alvin jr for short. Russell want back to the others as Noah walked over to Kenny, carrying AJ in his hands.

"What are you doing?" Noah questioned Kenny as he raised an eyebrow

"Takin' watch." he stated. "Go on and join the others by the fire."

"Then let me take AJ and I will." Noah insisted

Kenny paused for a brief moment. "Allright, then." he gave Noah AJ as the 23 year old held the baby boy in his arms. "Go on. I got this."

Noah walked over to Jane before heading the group. Shifting a quick glance at each other while Noah held AJ in his arms.

"You not joining them?" he asked raising an eyebrow

"I'm good." Jane said hesistantly

"Sure you are." Noah said nonchalent

"I'm fine." she said again in hesistation as he glanced at Luke, then back at Jane

A wide grin suddenly formed on Noah's face. "You love him don't you?"

Jane's eyes popped up at what Noah said. "What?"

Noah flashed a grin on his face at Jane. "You heard me."

"No, no. Not like that!" she exclaimed. "It was only a fling."

"Yet it seems more like love than just your booty call a few days ago to me." Noah trolled. "So, are you going to join in with your boyfriend or do I have to bring him over here?"

"Fine, fine. I'll join only if you'll shut up." Jane said showing a small smirk

"Deal." Noah accepted as him and Jane walked toward the group. "What's up? You guys talking about something?"

"Luke's birthday's today." Clementine said

"Good on you, birthday boy." Noah congradulated patting Luke on the shoulder. "How old are you, now? 26? 27?"

"27." Luke stated. "Majored in art history plus a minor in agriculture to make the old man happy. Nick majored a little bit in business."

"I had engineering, and a little bit of computers on the side." Noah hinted

"So, what was it with you and Jane?" Noah asked Luke. "How long did it take for you two to be boning each other after you were alone?"

"Noah!" Bonnie exclaimed at what he said

Noah shrugged his shoulders at Bonnie's exclamation. "What?"

"I don't know. I guess I wanted to forget about this shit just for ten minutes." Luke said smiling as he looked at Jane

Mike scoffed. "Ten minutes? Man, that's longer than I'd last at this point."

"Guys!" Shel exclaimed

"All right, all right. It wasn't ten minutes." Luke admitted

Carley pinched her eyebrow at Luke, Mike, and Noah. "May I remind you three we have two young girls present here?"

Clem and Becca gave the three a hard glance. "We know what you guys are talking about." Becca said

Lee chuckled. "I certain hope not, girls."

Clementine narrowed her eyes at the group. "You're talking about kiss stuff."

"Nope. We're talking about sex." Noah said transparent

"Noah, Jesus!" Carley said in disbelief

Noah put his arm in mock surrender. "It's the apocalypse. Who really gives a shit?" he said as he gave AJ to Shel

"Still though. Don't." Lee said as him and Carley got Noah a serious look

"Okay, fine." Noah suddenly grinned at Lee and Carley. "You two can tell Clem when she hits puberty."

"What's puberty?" Clementine asked looking at Carley and Lee

"We'll talk about it when you're thirteen." Carley said

"But..." Clementine trailed off slowly

"When you're thirteen." Lee and Carley said in unison, ending the discussion before giving Noah a hard look who only shrug his shoulders in mock surrender

Noah shift his gaze at Luke. "So was there any kissing involved or was it just premature screwing on a daily basis?" he asked with a smile before Mike, Wyatt, Nick, and Eddie chuckled

"You shut your dirty little mouth." Bonnie side glanced at Luke with a small grin. "The rest of you."

"Lee, can you remind me who you were with before Carley?" Noah asked

"You don't want to know." Carley insisted as she gave the bottle of rum to Noah

"Try me." he replied taking a chug

"Lily." Lee answered as Noah spit the rum out of his mouth

Carley sighed wiping the rum off her pants as her, Vince, and everyone else wiping the spill from their clothes. "Jesus, Noah." Luke sighed wiping his shirt off

"Lily?! You fucked Lily!?" Noah inquired in disbelief. "Why man? Why?!"

"Who's Lily?" Luke asked

"Long short story, Lily was this woman we had in our group who had a bitch fit when her and Kenny got in an argument." Noah stated to the group except for Lee, Carley, and Clementine as he looked away. "She had this asshole and shithead of a father named Larry that turned to a walker when we were held hostage by a farm family name the St. Johns."

"Farmers? You guys got held up by farmers?" Vince inquired

"When you meet a family of cannibals that own a dairy, you tend to get the fuck out of dodge." Noah said as their eyes went wide except for three people plus Kenny. "Lucky to get the hell out of there."

"Christ. Were they really..." Shel trailed off when Noah nodded his head. "Oh god."

"That's fucked up. They were probably corked too." Eddie said

"That they were. Sick in the damn head too. But, let's not dwell way in the past. Anyway..." Noah shifted his gaze at Lee. "When did that start? With you and Lily."

"Since we went to the motor-inn back in Georgia after we left my family's pharmacy. You already know who Carley was with." Lee explained when Carley looked away. "When she was with Doug at the time."

Noah sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's alright." Carley assured

"Besides, I thought you and Molly were an item back in Savannah." Carley mentioned

"Molly?" a smile formed on Noah's face. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, carries a ice climber name Hilda? Oh yeah, I remember her. I kind of had a appealing quality whenever it came to Molly. All I got from her was a kiss."

"Yeah? Well, Luke here is a regular cassanova." Nick added pointing his thumb at the recently 27 year old

Luke shook his head. "Hey, shut up."

"Please. Your moves have always worked on the ladies." Mike replied

Carley rested her head on Lee's shoulder. "His moves didn't work on me." she said giving Lee a peck on the cheek

"It worked on us." Bonnie admitted taking a sip, only to stop what she just said as her and Shel put their hand on their forehead. "Shit."

"What do you know? A drunk man's talk is a sober man's thoughts." Noah joked

"Well I ain't a man and they can take that shit elsewhere." Bonnie replied

"Oh, we'll see country girl." Noah joked which got the group laughing

"Good to see we're having a good time joking around tonight." Vince said with Mike glancing at Arvo

"Not all of us." he said

Russell shook his head. "No. I already know what you're thinking."

Mike glanced at Russell. "He could use it."

"Hell. No." Russell said

"Come on, Russell. Just because you haven't trusted anyone since Nate, doesn't mean he's a bad person." Shel implied

Russell huffed. "I already said what I needed to say." he retorted folding his arms. "Don't say I didn't warn you when he decides to shot one of us." he concluded as Mike walked over to Arvo with the bottle of rum

"I don't know about him." Noah admitted

Vince glanced at Noah. "You mean Arvo?"

"Yeah. I don't know if we can trust that shitbird."

Lee sighed. "Now you're starting to sound like Kenny."

Noah slowly glanced at Lee with wide eyes. "That's the worst thing you could ever say to me, Lee." he said

"I'm not saying that you act like-" Lee was suddenly cut off

"Leave me alone!" the group turned to see the voice came from Arvo

"I'm sorry I just-" Arvo cut off Mike

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" he shouted with tears in his eyes as Kenny was about to walk over to Arvo with a angered look

"Kenny." Noah called as Kenny gazed at him, with Noah shaking his head in a no. "Don't do it, man."

"Did that guy's sister turn to a walker back on the road?" Becca asked Russell

"She did." he stated. "Had to shoot her ass off before she got Clem and AJ."

"I forgot to thank you for that, Russell." Lee said in gratitude

Russell waved his hand at Lee. "Don't mention it, Lee."

"Maybe we all should crash for tonight." Eddie said heading to sleep. "It'll be a long walk for tomorrow."

Kenny moved away from the group. "I'll take first watch." he hollered

"Thanks, Kenny." Lee said

"He's right." Bonnie said agreeing with Eddie. "We should turn in."

"Night, dude and dudettes." Wyatt waved off heading to sleep along with everyone else except Kenny

`0`

The next day, the group headed north when they continued to follow Arvo to the russian's safehouse used to store food and shelter. They came to a stop as they reached a frozen lake, with a house ahead of it. A house that was in construction and barely complete. Noah took out a pair of binoclaurs to scope the area out as he saw a small herd of walkers to the right. On the left, there were only a few on the far end of the left. Unknown to him, Kenny had forced Arvo to go first in case it was a trap.

"Everyone start walking on the ice." Noah ordered

"Could we just go around?" Shel asked

"Walkers on both sides." Noah stated giving the binoclaurs to Vince and Lee. "You got some in the left, but it would take to long. On the right is a herd of them."

"He's right." Vince said giving them to Lee after he checked for himself

"All we have to do is walk slow and not apply extra weight to the ice." Lee added

"Don't panic and walk slowly. Look out for any cracks in the lake too." Noah instructed as he and the group walk toward the frozen lake

"Slowly. Slowly now..." Eddie trailed off taking steps in the frozen lake

"Just walk slowly, Becca." Shel instructed as they followed the others

"Stay beside me, Clem." Lee said as him, Carley, and Clementine continued following the group

The group move through the frozen lake, being extremely careful not to make any cracks or break off part of the ice. They walked slowly and carefully in order to get across the lake, and over the nearly built house. Noah looked back to see a few walkers behind them as they pressed on ahead through the lake. A couple of walkers fall trap in the frozen lake, falling into the cold waters of the lake. Then all of a sudden, Arvo started to make a run for it as Kenny chased after him leaving Mike to go after them. Arvo's leg fell in the lake as Mike along with Lee and Carley saw Kenny get him out and pushed off to the snow covered ground.

"Well, they make it." Jane said nonchalently

Noah, Clementine, Russell and Bonnie stopped when they heard ice cracking behind the four of them. They turned around to see it was coming from Luke, leaving a trail of cracks in the icy lake. Bonnie slowly walked to help Luke before he spotted her.

"Get back!"

"Luke, toss the AK! You're applying too much weight on the ice!" Noah exclaimed

"I'm fine. I just need to-" Luke was cut off after he took a step, only for his limp leg to fall in the lake as Noah, Clem, Russell, and Bonnie. "Stop, stop! I just... I need a minute here to get free.

"You got walkers behind you, Luke!" Noah yelled. "Get the hell out of there, damn it!"

"I know that, Noah!" Luke shouted back. "I'm workin' on it!"

Bonnie looked at Clementine with a worried look for Luke "You gotta go help him."

"What? No!" Luke denied

"Clem, go!" Bonnie told her

"That's crazy!" Russell outbursted. "They'll both fall in!"

"You can do it Clem, you're light! You can-" Nick cut Bonnie off

Nick shot off a quick glare at Bonnie. "Stop telling her that shit! She ain't even light!" he exclaimed. "If she goes toward him, they're both dead!"

"Clem look at me." Luke said to Clementine. "Just shoot those walkers so I could get outta here!"

"What do I do?" Clementine asked looking at Noah. "Noah?"

"Do what Luke says." Noah pulled out his desert eagle as he shot a walker in the eye, which lead to the head. "Cover him so he could free! Do NOT go near him!"

"He's right, Clem. Do what he says." Russell agreed taking in more. "If Luke says he got it, then he's got it!"

Doing what Luke told her, Clementine began shooting at the walkers in order to give more time to break himself free. Things started to go worse when Bonnie walked toward slowly, ignoring what Noah and Luke told her to do. Nick even started shouting for Bonnie to get away, with even Luke telling her not to come near him. Luke tossed the AK-47 to Noah before him and Bonnie were swallowed down below the lake. Clem and Noah ran toward the ice hole, until they heard banging left of them as they saw Luke. Clementine hit the frozen section of the lake using the butt of the pistol she used. She hit it again and again until Noah grabbed her, stopping her from joining Luke and Bonnie.

"Clem, Clem!" Noah exclaimed. "We can't help them. They're already gone." him and Clementine saw Luke's now lifeless body floating down below the lake

"Guys." Noah and Clementine looked up to see Russell. "We should get back to the others."

Noah, Clementine, Russell, and Nick made it stepping out of the frozen lake. Everyone made it inside, as Wyatt closed the door behind them. While everyone else came in, Jane went further to look for food just like Arvo mentioned when he was captured by the group. They were just stomped that they lost Luke and Bonnie. Most of all Nick since he and Luke knew each other since first grade. What kept going on in Russell's head was that why Bonnie tried to save Luke when he told her not to in the first place.

"How the fuck did that happen?!" Kenny outbursted

Shel gasped. "Oh my god, they're gone."

"It happened too fast." Clementine said looking away

Mike placed AJ in a small box, placing a pile of newspaper on it for the baby. "Once that ice started to go down, it wasn't much for any of us to do." he stated sadly

Nick furiously punched a wall. "I told her not to go toward him! Why the hell didn't she listen to me?!"

Kenny glared at Arvo. "You son of a bitch. This is all your fucking fault!"

"We need a fire here." Lee said trying to find some matches

"Just look at this place. Just a stack of fuckin' toothpicks." Kenny groused, giving Arvo a push in the process. "What? No speak-de-english?!"

Arvo glared straight at Kenny. "Fuck you."

Kenny's fists suddenly balled up. "You fuckin' commie piece of shit!" he roared, punching Arvo in the face again and again

"Kenny!" Mike shouted in shock

Noah rushed to Kenny and slammed him toward a wall. "Enough, goddamit!"

Jane walked back in when she saw a bloodied Arvo on the floor as she glared at Kenny. "What are you doing?" she tossed Noah a can of chili. "There's another just like this. He WASN'T lying. He was telling the truth." she said

Noah let Kenny go of when he took the can from Noah's hand. "You wanna tell me how a can of fucking chili is going to help a baby?"

"How is beating a kid going to help anyone?!" Jane shouted, giving a strong glare at Kenny

"Shut up!" Noah shouted glaring at Kenny and Jane. "Both of you! Just... start a fire and tie him up."

"I got it." Vince said tying Arvo to a support beam under the stairs. "Stay." he said leaving the teenage russian to glare at Noah suddenly, with Noah giving him a death glare as Arvo looked away

Mike looked at Arvo with a concerned look. "Hey, are you okay? He's hurt really-" Noah cut him off

"Mike, do you have a match?"

"What?" Mike inquired in confusion. "Uh... no, I don't."

Clementine crouched down and gave Jane a nail file. "You kept it." Jane took the nail file and a piece of flint to make a homemade fire

Noah looked at the can of chili as he opened it, giving it the Siberian husky Milly instead

"Here, girl." he said petting her head

"You didn't want any of this, dude?" Noah looked up to see Wyatt offering a can of chili to him

"No, not really." he replied to Wyatt. "That stuff will make you shit. Maybe even give you dirarrhea."

Wyatt took a quick look at the can of chili before setting it down on the table. "You might be right, and I probably shouldn't have ate it."

"I'll see if there's anything else to eat besides that." Noah declared

`0`

After finding a bag of canned soups and beans, carrots, apples, and peaches Noah give the others something to eat beside chili. Noah went up the stairs and made sure that him, and the group were alone. The coast was clear as Noah pulled out his sleeping bag and laid down, closing his eyes to rest. He tossed and turned, still seeing the dead faces of those he met. He saw Beatrice, a woman from the group Noah and Doug had found in the town of Macon while she was being chased by walkers. At that time, Noah, Kenny, Lee, Clementine, and Carley where with their original group at the motor-inn. Doug had swooned her in like he was a superhero and got her away from the walker herd. Beatric was just a nurse and one-time temporary waitress working in a diner over east of Macon. Noah also remembered her and Mark being an item when they met. That changed when she was trapped by walkers after she went with Noah and Mark to scavenge a house away from the motor-inn. She died before Mark could get her out of the walker hold. Speaking of Mark, he was next as Noah remembered the painful memory of Mark's legs chomped off by the St. John brothers.

Then there was Larry, Lily's asshole of a father who died from a heart attack at the St. John's meat locker. Travis being shot in cold blood by Lily, leaving the group to let Lily stay behind. Katjaa when her and Kenny found out Duck was bitten, shooting herself in the head so she would not have to see her son being shot. Duck when Lee put him out of his misery, which was weird for Noah, but at least right with decency. Chuck after he saved Clementine and told the group to go without him, leaving Noah to remember seeing his guts out when he was in the sewers. Boyd being killed after Carver pushed him on the roof back at Howe's. Sarita when Ben and Clementine were forced to chop her arm off in order to save her. Ben, Stephanie, Noah's mother Tessa, Sarah, Doug, Pete, and Rebecca all joining in with the rest of the dead people they met ever since the outbreak started.

Noah's eyes opened wide as he was being licked by Milly. He patted the siberian husky's head as he heard a knock on the wall. He turned to see it was Lee.

"Hey, Lee."

"Hey. You mind if I talk with you?" Lee asked

Noah sighed. "It's about Kenny, isn't it?" he inquired

"That. And there's something I need to give to you." Lee replied. "But first..." he trailed off sitting down crossing his legs. "Kenny."

"Yeah, he went wailing on that kid." Noah pinched the bridge of his nose. "Almost beat him to death."

Noah sighed deeply. "We've seen him like this before, but what happened... that was different."

"That it was." Noah agreed. "And he's still set on Wellington."

"What do you think?" Lee inquired

Noah sighed. "I don't think it exists. I don't even KNOW if it does."

"Me neither." Lee took out a letter from inside Noah's old survival guide journal in his coat pocket. "This is for you. It was from your mother, and she told me to give it to you whenever I thought you were ready."

Noah took the letter. "Mom..." he glanced at Lee as he looked at the handwriting. "This is her handwriting." he said as he took a look at it

"_Noah, If you are reading this, it means that I am dead. I told Lee to give you this letter until you finished mourning. When all of this started, I kept praying and wondering if you were still alive out of this madness. My prayers were answered after I saw you in Savannah, alive and still the son I raised you to be. I even forgot to tell you that I was going to get married before the outbreak had ever started. His name is Peter, and I think you would have liked him. I know you would probably be unsure what to think, especially since you never had a father before. Now here I am, bitten and trapped inside a morgue. When I die, promise me that you'll stay who are you. You are my son, Noah Kane and I love you so much. If you ever meet Peter, tell him I love him and I will miss him for those days we cherise together. This is goodbye... for both of you. Goodbye, love mom."_

Noah looked down as a tears slowly streamed down his eyes, seeing his mother's letter for himself. The letter she wrote for him, her only son before she died. He looked at his survival journal and remebered the things he wrote to survive the apocalypse. Noah wiped the tears off his face, removing the drop marks from his face after he sprayed water from his bottle. Then all of a sudden, a car engine was heard as Lee and Noah saw Kenny gotten the truck started. Kenny, along with Vince, Wyatt, and Eddie had got a white painting van and an RV started outside. Noah and Lee went downstairs and outside, making sure toward Kenny and the others.

"You guys got them working!" Lee said. "Nice job."

"Yeah, we did." Vince admitted. "The van and RV were good to go, but that truck took a little longer than we thought."

"Since we got these cars working, we should talk about going back south." Jane stated. "I was thinking back to Howe's."

"Wait, what?! Fuck that." Mike disagreed. "I was thinking more like Texas."

"Las Vegas." Noah said smirking

"I say we go to Miami, head to South Beach." Russell said

Kenny folded his arms. "We already talked about this!" he snarled

Russell quirked his eyebrow at Kenny as it changed to a glare. "Did we?"

"We're goin' to find Wellington." Kenny declared, now glancing at Lee, Clem, Carley, and Noah. "Right, guys?"

"Look, we'll just sleep on it." Noah replied

"That sounds sensible." Shel agreed

"Dammit, we don't have time!" Kenny outbursted in disagreement

"Yes, we do." Lee said. "We have plenty of time to decide, Kenny."

Nick folded his arms. "I don't know who put you in charge, old man." he retorted

"Look, I don't give two shits what you people think. I got this truck and the rest of those started, I say we go north." Kenny declared. "It's the best chance we got of helping AJ."

Nick scoffed. "Or to help yourself." he muttered to himself

"What about Arvo?" Mike asked the group

"Oh, the Russkie? Yeah, he ain't comin' with us."

Mike looked at him with disbelief. "You're just gonna leave him here."

"I don't give a goddamn reason where he goes. He's done." Kenny growled folding his arms together

"He could die, man." Eddie inserted

Kenny scoffed. "Better him than one of us."

"We should ask him what he wants." Noah said, ignoring the look Kenny was giving him right now

"There's a concept." Lee suggested

"He knows the area. He can help us." Mike interjected

"Oh yeah, some help he's been." Kenny said in sarcasm with hate in his voice. "He got Luke and Bonnie killed."

"That wasn't anyone's fault. And if he hadn't been beaten anyone to a pulp, he probably wouldn't run in the first place." Nick growled throwing a hateful look at Kenny

"Either way, we can't go anywhere in the middle of the night." Carley stated

"There could be a herd out there for all we know." Nick retorted

Kenny walked a step close to Nick. "You want that child's blood on your hands, dumbass?"

"We're all gonna have blood on our hands if you don't calm the hell down, old man." Nick snapped

"Haven't we been through enough for today?" Becca said annoyed and irritated. "Can everyone just shut up?"

"Jesus fucking Christ." Kenny swore. "You four remember the last time we sat on our asses and waited around?"

Nick scoffed as he moved away. "Fuck it. I'm going inside."

"So am I." Jane said going with Nick

Kenny had a furious look at Nick and Jane as he opened the truck door. "Goddamn it!" he yelled slamming the door shut

"You can't just walk away from this, Kenny!" Lee yelled out with everyone else going inside, only for Mike to stop and glanced at Noah and Lee

"You two better talk some sense into him." he groused frowning as it faded with him concern and near sympathy. "For his sake." he finished heading back inside

"I don't think we can." Noah said with uncertainity

"I'll try to talk to him." Lee replied. "You go inside with the others." Noah went back inside the house while Lee talked to Kenny, hoping he would at least convice him to head somewhere else besides Wellington

`0`

Everyone was sound asleep. Clementine slept near Lee and Carley downstairs with Kenny, Nick, and Jane while Shel, Becca, Vince, and Wyatt were sleeping upstairs. Russell and Eddie laid asleep on a wall where Arvo was since they were keeping an eye on him. Noah on the other hand was outside taking Milly for a walk. He wanted to go out for some air after everyone went to sleep. Noah did not want to admit it, but Kenny was starting to lose it. He was fixiated on finding Wellington, even near to starting a fight with Nick and anyone else who would disagree. And if Kenny ever lose it, either Noah or at least Lee would have no choice but to put him down. However, his thoughts were interrupted when he heard a gunshot noise coming from the house. Milly barked suspciously, sensing something wrong happening with the others. Noah and Milly rushed back to find out what happened, or what was the leading cost. Once he make it, he was frozen at what he saw. It was Clementine bleeding out in the snow covered ground, with a bullet wound in her shoulder as Carley and Lee were trying to keep her alive. Eddie was shot in the eye, leaving a pool of blood laying on his head and poured out on the ground.

"What... what happen-" Russell cut him off

"Mike and Arvo ditched us. They took everything. All of our food!"

"I can't believe they would do this." Wyatt said in shock over the death of his best friend

"Arvo should've stay dead." Becca retorted when she noticed Shel giving her a look. "Don't even give me that look. Look at what he did to Clem and Eddie."

"I don't think if they even knew what they were doing." Shel said in disbelief

Noah looked down at a wounded Clementine, with his hands balled into fists. "Where's Kenny?"

"He want after Arvo." Vince told him. "Never seen him like this before."

"We're leaving. Jane, get Clem inside the truck! Turn the heater on to keep her warm." Noah looked at Lee and Carley. "I'll make sure she comes out of it okay."

Lee lead Carley to the van as did Wyatt and Eddie while Nick, Russell, Shel, Becca, and Vince got in the RV. "Carley, come on. Noah will make sure she's okay."

"Noah!" he and turned as Carley tossed him a walkie-talkie. "Promise me you make sure she's okay and safe."

Noah nodded his head as he held AJ in his hands. "I will." he told Carley while Jane put Clementine in the back, as she got in the passenger seat with Noah driving off. "Now to find Kenny." he said giving AJ to Jane after turning the heat in the truck

"Are you sure about that?" Jane asked Noah

"I know what to do if he goes crazy." he growled

"I know. I'm just being sure." she said to him

Noah drove off until he could spot Kenny, who at the moment was chasing after Arvo for shooting Clementine and Mike for taking their food. He stopped the truck when he saw a gunshot go off right of him, putting the truck in park as Noah got out and ran toward the direction of the gunshot that went off. He ran at the top speed he could, coming to a stop when he saw three bodies on the ground. One of them was Mike with a gunshot wound in his neck which led him to bleed immensely to death. The second body was Arvo who was bleeding to death from whose eyes were twitching to exhaled his last breath. Which left the last corpse to be Kenny as his bandage and hat was on the floor. Noah only picked up the hat as he glanced at Kenny's lifeless form one last time before heading the truck.

"At least you're with Katjaa and Duck now." Noah said as he got inside the truck and drove back on the road, taking one glance at Clementine. "Please be alive, Clem."


	3. Assault on Howe's

**AN: Welcome back to Walking Dead: Instinct ladies and gentleman. Before we start, I want to let you know I'm bringing in three familiar faces in this chapter. I know you'll like two of them, but i would hate the last familiar face you the most. Also, I do not own Anne, Aquadestinyembrace does. Plus, I set up another OC i have put in this chapter. I might also put Walking Dead: Instinct on hold for a while, however; I am only unsure at the moment. If you don't see a another chapter in the next two months, it will be on hold. So as always, please review and enjoy.**

Chapter 3: Assault on Howe's

Noah narration

I did not know what to think anymore since we left that house. Hell, I was not even surprised that damn Russian kid could shoot Clementine like that. Kenny was right about that... that shitbird from the start. Russell was right about not trusting him too, but with Mike letting Arvo out so both of them could get away? That was unbelievable, nobody was expecting it. In the end, Eddie along with Mike and Kenny were now dead. Left behind in the frozen air and snow covered forest. I let Jane drive while I went to sleep in the passenger seat, and held AJ in my arms after I set my feet up on the dashboard when I felt tired. For the first time in my life, I didn't know where to go. I didn't know where we could go. Wellington? I don't even know if that place exists or not, or if it's like Howe's where's there is really no sanctuary. Somewhere up the East Coast, or head to the West Coast for someplace else? I did not know and I couldn't even decided where to go. I figured if I rest up, I would eventually get an answer. I hope to God I do.

I started to remember things when I was in the motor-inn, with my first group. I remember Lilly teaching us fire-arm practice, Beatrice teaching us things she knew when she was a nurse before the outbreak, and I remember training myself in mixed martial arts before the walker apocalypse. I put all of that training and knowledge into my head. Whenever it came to fixing the motel's generator, I knew how to do it from instant practice I learned from colleger. One of my mom's boyfriends teaching me how to hunt, how to plan a trap, and how to use my head to get away from a terrible situation. The other taught me about mechanics, and the last one convinced me of taking engineering. Once the outbreak started leading to the apocalypse, I knew I had to be ready. I knew that I had to survive in order to keep living. Wherever we walked, ran, drove off to... all that mattered was staying alive and not dying.

End narration

Noah slowly opened his eyes as he looked down to see baby AJ sleeping on his chest peacefully, with Noah's arm cradling the infant. He looked left to see Jane still driving and that it was morning already with snowflakes falling from the sky. They looked to be still in the woods leaving barely enough snow covering the ground, but unsure where they were heading. Noah looked at the back seat to see Clementine still unconscious, and the Siberian Husky canine Milly outside, which surprised him since he thought she was with Lee, Carley, and Wyatt. He put his hand on Clementine's chest, feeling the pounding of her heartbeat going while he placed it on his forehead as he sighed for relief.

"Hey, you're awake." Jane said smiling after she glanced to see Noah was up and about after he woke up. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine." Noah yawned loudly, now looking to where were which seemed to be a forest covered in bits of snow. "Where are we now?" he asked Jane

"In the woods." she stated. "On our way back to Howe's."

"What?" Noah said in disbelief. "We're heading back to Howe's, as in Carver's camp? Are you serious right now!?"

"I think Bonnie said there was some baby formula left there." Jane replied. "We should be back there in a few minutes. It's worth the look, Noah."

Noah frowned at Jane. "Are you forgetting the fact that Nate is still on our asses after that shootout with the Russian Mafia?"

"Nate won't think twice about going back to Howe's after what happened." Jane said with her eyes now on the road. "He'll found someplace else to set camp at, or find help from local bandits he could find and put together. He might even take slaves or workers he could grab. He would even..." Jane trailed off looking down for a moment before setting her eyes back on the road

Noah raised an eyebrow. "Jane?"

"Nate is known to have a 'hunger' for women." she grimaced. "Aside from being a complete pervert, he'll make women have sex with them. Either by simple seduction or sheer force. Even younger girls. Teenage girls, and even preteens ones at that."

"What are you..." Noah pause as he glanced back at Clementine. "Did he touch-" Jane had cut him off

"No, he didn't get to Clementine. Not even Carley, or Stephanie, but..." Jane paused as she shook her head. "he got to one of us. He just... he violated her. Lusted his desires on her, forcibly. He almost got close doing the same thing to me and Sarah."

Noah narrowed his eyes at Jane. "What do you mean by one of you?"

"It was Sarita. She got the worse of it out of both of us." she answered looking away, with Noah's eyes widened with absolute shock as they reached Howe's. "Nate also got her knocked up along the way, a day before we escaped Howe. I think the reason was because Sarita kept throwing up a lot back while we were still there."

Noah slammed his fist on the glove compartment. "That sick freak!" he yelled as AJ started to cry. "Oh, shit. Sorry about that, AJ." he said trying to calm AJ down

"Before Sarah was next on his list, Russell and Wyatt stopped him and told Carver." Jane stated. "Even had him locked up in a cage for it. I don't think she told Kenny about what happened to her."

"I bet Kenny would have ripped Nate's heart out. The same goes for Carlos if he'd ever found out that piece of shit almost went after his daughter." Noah muttered when he looked at the view mirror to see the van and RV behind them

"Looks like the others are with us." Jane said as they heard a voice from behind, only to see Clementine had woken up. "Clem!"

Noah wrapped Clementine in a hug. "Clementine!"

"Noah... you're crushing me too tight." she made out gasping for air

"Sorry." he said letting go of her as all three of them, plus AJ in Noah's hands step out of the truck. "Let's get what we came for and leave."

"Why don't we stay here?" Jane asked. "We can secure this place. Took control every part of it."

"We aren't staying here." Noah replied, remembering the deaths of Boyd, Carlos, and Sarita happened in Howe's. "A few lives were lost in this hellhole of a place. I don't want to stay where we lost those we knew that died here."

"If not here, then where?" Jane inquired. "You're not thinking about heading to Wellington, are you? Do we even know this place exists?"

"I don't know. I don't..." Noah trailed off slightly looking away. "I need a while to think on where we go next."

"Clementine! Oh, thank God!" Carley ran and hugged her adopted daughter regard like her own daughter tightly in a embrace. "We thought we lost you, honey."

Clementine hugged her back. "I'm okay, mom." she said as Carley and Lee looking at her with a surprised look on their faces

Noah's ear perked at what Clementine said. "Did you just call Carley mom?"

"Well... yeah." she answered shrugging

"Clem..." Lee paused to rub the back of his neck. "I know me and Carley know that we're not your real parents, but-" Clementine cut Lee off

"I don't care about that." Clementine said looking at Lee and Carley. "You and Carley have been taking care of me since all of this started. You are the only people I could consider my parents. The only people I could consider my family."

Carley smiled hugging Clementine back in her arms as Lee joined in. "Okay, okay. We love you too, sweet pea."

"Did you just say-" Lee and Carley cut Noah off

"Noah." they both said

"What?" he said defensively as he raised his hands in mock surrender

The rest of the group started to approach the others once they saw they were they. "Why in the hell are we here?" Russell groused

Noah gazed at Jane as his arms folded together. "Tell them."

"We're here because Bonnie mentioned there was baby formula still here." Jane explained to the group. "We might even stay."

"Do you not remember the herd that was here days ago?! We almost got ourselves killed." Becca outburst

"We can't risk staying here." Vince replied

"Hold up." everyone glanced at Noah. "We are not staying here." he told them. "We're getting what we need here and leaving. That's it."

"So what do we look for besides baby formula for AJ?" Shel asked Noah

"Weapons, ammo, and food. Even medicine if there's any left." Noah answered. "If there is anything left."

"I agree with that plan." Shel replied, agreeing with Noah's suggestion. "We can get what we need and go."

"Lead on." Vince said the others followed Lee and Noah

Making their way inside Howe's, they discovered a zombified Carver and Troy. Their legs were ripped apart as they tried to crawl, but Vince and Russell hacked both of them with a pair of tomahawks taken from the museum at Parker's Run. A chunk of their heads flew off while the rotten stench of their skin stayed as the group went inside the stock room. All of a sudden, Lee spotted a glimpse of a small group coming ahead. It looked to be exactly five people. One was a red haired man with a combed back hairstyle, wearing glasses. The other was a woman wearing a yellow jacket and brown pants. The third was a dark skin preteen a year older than Clementine, but a couple of years younger than Becca. The fourth was a teenage girl who was either a year older, or the exact same age as her. Long, shaggy brown hair, with her bangs to cover over her right eye. A bandanna that covered her right along with her styled bangs. She wore a black flannel shirt over a black shirt underneath and blue jeans. The interesting thing about the girl was that had a guitar strapped behind her. The fifth was a auburn haired 23 year old wearing a blue biker jacket and black jeans, with a sniper rifle on his back. The auburn haired man in his early twenties jogged a memory into Noah, who felt like he had seen the person before. Lastly, was a familiar woman to Lee, Carley, Clementine, and most of all Noah as their eyes were wide. The woman had long brown hair wearing a black coat with a white shirt underneath, and urban camouflage pants while she carried a hunting rifle that had a scope attached.

"Is that...?" Lee trailed off still shocked

"Lily?" Clementine finished in question upon seeing the woman in their old group

Lily gazed at the four people familiar to her. "Lee." she glanced at Carley, Clementine, and Noah. "Carley. Noah. Clementine."

Jane glanced at the four who stared in shock. "You guys know who this woman is?"

"As a matter of fact, we do." Carley said while Noah glanced at the familiar 23 year old. "She was in our old group. The one with Kenny and his family."

"Jimmy?" Noah asked. "Jimmy Vogel?"

"How do you... wait a minute." the person known as Jimmy walked slowly to Noah. "Noah? Noah Kane?"

"You two know each other?" the girl in the bandanna asked

"We were best friends since the 3rd grade." Jimmy stated patting Noah on the shoulder. "His mom worked with my dad when we were kids."

"When I heard about Buckhead a day after the outbreak, I thought you were done for." Noah started. "What happened?" he asked Jimmy

"While my parents and I were waiting for the military, walkers started to pour in." he said, explaining his situation when the outbreak had started. "I lost my parents in the first few hours. After that, I had a group but lost them sixteen months ago. The next day I met Anne, the girl with the guitar and Lilly for almost two years. She didn't mention that you two met. We met Randy, Patricia, and their son Gill just recently."

Noah glanced at the couple and their son. "The mom maybe, but that is not the dad." he said staring at the family

"Yeah, his real dad died three weeks after the outbreak." Jimmy replied as he glanced at Lee, Carley, and Clementine. "Lilly told me the story about Lee. Was he really a convicted killer who killed a state senator?"

"By accident." Noah replied staring at Lee, Carley, and Clementine talking to Lilly. "Lee caught the dude cheating on his wife. One thing led to another and... you know the rest."

"Holy shit." Jimmy said in a shocked tone. "No wonder that senorital mess was a total cluserfuck." changing the subject, Jimmy glanced at Noah's group. "Is this your place?"

"No, we're not staying here long." Noah stated. "It's just you guys?"

"We have two more people with us." Jimmy reminded pointing his thumb out back. "We ran into them eight days ago." he explained when Noah looked ahead of Jimmy, two people to be exact, however; Noah's eyes widened as he saw a couple of familiar faces. "They said their names were-"

Noah step forward as he walked closer to the two familiar people. "Omid?! Christa?!"

Said persons were wide eyed to see him, Lee, Carley, and Clementine alive. "I don't believe it." Christa manage to say. "You guys are still alive." Lee, Carley, and Clementine's expression turned to shock once they saw Christa and Omid; alive and well

"God, what happen to you guys?" Omid spoke

"It's a long story." Noah said

Christa glanced over to Lee carrying something in his arms as she walked closer to them, while they were talking to Lilly. Omid followed when Anne and the rest of Lilly's made their way over Noah's group. Noah glanced at Vince and Nick motioning his hand, which told them not to interfere. Christa looked to see what was in Lee's arms, her eyes become wide when she saw a infant; AJ to be specific. Christa felt like you wanted to hold the baby in her hands, but Noah and Lee nodding their heads.

"He's adorable." Christa said smiling at AJ. "What's his name?"

"Alvin jr. We call him AJ for short." Lee said as his smile quickly faded away. "His real parents died. His father before he was born, and his mother three days after."

Christa frowned. "Poor thing." she replied laying a kiss on AJ's forehead

Omid glanced at Lee and Noah. "Where do you guys plan to go? Do you plan to head to Wellington?"

"At the moment, we don't know where to go." Noah stated. "We're unsure about Wellington."

Christa frowned. "If a place like Wellington exists, what harm could it do to go?" she inquired

"That place is probably a hoax." Jane said coldly folding her arms

Christa frowned a glare at Jane. "Who are you?"

"That would be Jane." Carley introduced Christa and Omid to. "The others are Vince, Wyatt, Russell, Shel, her sister Becca, and-" Anne cut her off

"Nick?"

"I take it that you two know each other?" Noah inquired

"Actually, we kinda do. Before she left this place for good one night." Nick waved his hand at Anne. "Hey, Anne. Long time no see."

"I can't believe it's you. Where's Luke and the others?" Anne asked leaving Nick to suddenly look down along with Noah and his group. "Nick?"

"They're gone, Anne." he said sadly

Anne gasped with her wide eye. "Everyone? Even Sarah?"

"Even her." Nick replied sadly. "I wish they were here right now."

"I didn't even want to come over here because of Carver. Is he-" Vince cut Anne off

"He's dead, along with this place." he said. "There's still Nate though."

Anne's eye went bug eyed. "Oh god." she gasped. "Him?! Of all people, that perverted bastard is still alive!?"

"Pretty much." Wyatt said rubbing the back of his neck

Anne sighed in irritation. "Why couldn't he just stay dead?!"

"You and me both." Russell said, agreeing with Anne

"Well, we'll get what we need and go." Lee stated. "In the meantime we should think on where to go."

"That sounds like a good idea." Lilly said in agreement with Lee, showing a sudden smile on her face. "We get half, you get half."

"Yeah. I really don't want another fight on our hands." Noah said. "Your group goes left, ours go right."

the red haired man in glasses glanced at Lilly. "You're not seriously thinking about agreeing with them, are you?" his voice held anger inside, leading Noah to possibly believe he was a violent person

Lilly turn to glare at Randy. "We're doing it whether you like it or not." she glanced at Lee and Noah. "Can we go inside?"

"Of course." Noah replied, now turning his attention to Lilly. "Come inside. There's something we have to talk to you about."

"Patricia, can you help Randy out with getting our supplies?" Lilly asked

"Of course." said woman patted her son's shoulder, motioning him to follow her. "Come on, Gill."

`0`

"Holy fuck." Lilly said bug eyed

"That's what been happening to us since you were gone." Lee said

"So it was Ben. Shit!" Lilly exclaimed punching a box to where she sat as Lilly glanced at Noah. "You said he didn't tell you after Katjaa and Duck died?" she asked Noah

"He mentioned it after they died." he replied. "Travis, too. Ben was the only one dealing with the bandits from the save lot."

"I bet Kenny wanted to rip his damn head off." Lilly muttered. "To recap: You guys want to Savannah, find Clementine's parents who were walkers, and your mother was bitten and Lee had to give her mercy."

Lee sighed. "That's everything."

Christa and Omid started to glance at Nick and the others. "How did you meet them?" Omid asked

"After we were separated, me and Clementine were found by the Nick's group that lived in a cabin in the woods." Noah stated. "When they saw the dog bite that I had gotten earlier before I met them, they thought it was walker bite. Locked me in the damn shed in the process."

Omid chuckled. "I'm pretty sure you were pissed as hell." he said. "You have a helluva mean streak sometimes."

"He was and he did." Carley said. "Noah wanted to kick Luke's ass, their leader and Nick over there. Also..." she paused looking down. "it turns out that they were being hunted by a man named William Carver. This place was his camp. We got captured after we found out that Kenny was alive in a ski lodge up north."

"How did you guys escape?" a voice asked beside Lilly who was Anne

"Anne." Lilly scolded with a hard stare

"It's all right." Lee said as he turned his attention to Anne. "We covered ourselves in walker guts to get away freely from Howe's. However; things took a turn for the worse when Carlos was shot in the neck and eaten by walkers."

Anne's eye widened with shock and horror. "Oh my god." she gasped

"Sarah saw her father die in front of her and she ran for it." Clementine informed. "That's when Sarita, Kenny's girlfriend was bitten. So Ben and I had to chop her hand off."

Lilly raised a quirked eyebrow. "Why do I get the feeling that Kenny got pissed off at the both of you?"

"Because he did after we escaped from Howe's." Lee replied. "Ben lost his shit after Kenny yelled at Clementine and pointed a gun right at Kenny's other eye."

"He never loses his shit like that before. Not even to me." Lilly said in disbelief. "Especially not at Kenny. Trying that on either one of us would be a death sentence for him. Him doing something like that took some real balls."

"Did he ever do that often?" Anne asked Lilly and the four people in her group, plus Omid and Christa

"That one was actually a first." Carley recalled. "He got bit and sacrifaced himself to save the others more time to escape in a walker infested trailer park." she stated sadly

"I take it that after what happened, things went from bad to worse?" Lilly asked as Noah nodded his head in reply to her question. "Then that means Kenny is dead. Hmm, at least he could see his family again."

"So, what do you of all of that?" Lee asked Lilly

"It's a lot to take in to be honest." she said looking down. "So much has happened since I went on a ego trip and got kicked out from the group." Lilly looked at Lee, Carley, Clementine, and Noah. "All because I acted so damn stupid. I wish I never lost my cool and shot Travis in the face."

Clementine started to look confused. She has never seen take pity on herself before, not even back at the motor-inn. "Lilly..."

"I need a minute." she said standing up from a chair she sat on and left. "I got a lot on my head right now, I'll talk to you guys later."

Anne's POV

It was quiet after Lilly left. No one didn't say anything. I never seen Lilly like that and I'm pretty sure neither have her old members from her group. When Lilly told me she did fucked up things that cause her trust to fade away from her group, I think she still feels the burden of betraying their trust. This girl, Clementine wanted to find her parents only to find out they were already dead. My supposed parents were kidnappers who treated me like shit and would verbally abuse me if I was out of line. Kids always bullied, my 'parents' even paid them to beat me up the first chance they got. Three years before the outbreak started, I found my real parents. My real mother was a therapist and part time musician. My real father on the other hand, was a manager of computer maintenance at Atlanta's national bank. The two people who kidnapped and who I thought were my parents got sent to jail for kidnapping and abuse. They're probably died now since the first days started back in the outbreak. I was still with my parents ever since the outbreak started, and I had no idea where they were now. Even after we lost our group, we stick together until a bandit attack happened and we got separated. I hope to God my parents are still alive.

I'll admit it. Once Lilly told me about having a convicted killer in her old group, he wasn't really that bad. After what I've seen from him, Lee's a good guy. I started to talk the people in Lilly's old group in the motor-inn to pass the time. Lee was a US history professor, he seem to love it. Carley was a reporter for WABE. Lee told me she was even a pretty good shot with a pistol. What surprised me more was that they had a dog. Noah was once a sophomore back in college taking engineering and mechanics. Computers were only a minor for him to take to pass some time in college. If I was correct, their dog Milly was a Siberian Husky. I've seen Laborders, Great Danes, and mostly German Shepards. Not once have I ever seen a Siberian Husky before.

"So you're a guitarist, huh?" Noah asked me

"I play some songs from time to time when I get time to sit."

"That must be a good hobby." Lee admitted. "It would be nice to hear some music whenever we travel."

"It is. I kept asking her if she could sing Black Sabbath's _Iron man_." Omid joked

Christa grinned. "And I told you to stop."

I snickered whenever Omid made one of his typical jokes. He's a funny guy, so you hardly ever that type of person in a zombie apocalypse. He always tells a joke to cheer someone up or to mostly pass the time.

Anne looked at Clementine. "Cool hat."

It really was a cool hat to be honest.

Clementine smiled. "Thanks." she said as Jimmy walked near the group

"The name's Jimmy. I'm Noah's best bud." he introduced. "You must be Lee, Carley, and Clementine." Jimmy said pointing at all three. "Has my friend here told you about me?"

"Bits and pieces." Lee stated

"I got a story before all of this." Jimmy started. "One time, we were in Aspen for the winter and tried to score these two hotties. One of them was a blonde and the other was a foreign exchange student from Vietnam. I went with the hottie the chance I saw her, while Noah went with her hot Asian friend." Noah shook his head with a smirk on his face as Jane and the others joined in. "One thing lead to another and we made out. Right up until one of their boyfriends came back and saw us kissing."

Wow... just wow.

"Noah tripped one of them while I ran like hell. We got away in my dad's company car, but I ran it over theirs." Jimmy said rubbing the back of his neck.

Busted! Guess he must have had bad luck while he was in Aspen. I never been there before to begin with. Me, mom and dad were planning to go when the fall season arrived before the outbreak started.

"Dad grounded for six weeks until he thought of my punishment." he concluded

"What was your punishment?" Vince asked

"I had to work at one of the buildings in my dad's company up near Peachtree for a while to pay up the damage I did to the company." Jimmy stated

"So was Noah with you when you crashed the company car?" Clementine asked

"No." Noah replied. "All I did was just snowboard down the hill. I didn't know Jimmy got in trouble until I got back from his family ski lodge."

He got lucky. Jimmy on the other hand, not so much. I wonder if Noah has some stroke of good luck since the apocalypse started. Before Jimmy could go further, we heard an explosion coming from outside. There was gunfire going on as everyone barricade the entrance. Me and Lee took a look what was going on outside. My eye widened at what I saw. It was Nate and his small private army as some of them had automatic weapons and the others had winchesters and M1I rifles from World War II. What surprised us the most was that we saw a tank. A fucking tank! Where the hell did Nate get a tank?! Where did he even find out!? And speak of the devil, there he was making his way toward Howe's.

"Come out here! I know you're in there. All of you." he yelled. "Jane, Russell, and the guy that sneak in with Luke."

I could see him cock the safety off from his AK-47 as Lilly and Jane ran toward me who took cover behind a crate close where me, Noah, and Lee were.

"Shit. It's Nate!" Jane exclaimed

"That psychotic bastard shot at us with that fucking tank." Lilly scowled. "Randy, Patricia, and Gill... they're dead because of that one shot."

Oh god... They're dead. I know Nate was a totally corked sociopath, but this... Jesus Christ! This is over the fucking edge!

"Last chance. Come on out and I'll promise I made this easier for you people!" Nate barked giving us an ultimatum

Then all of a sudden, a gunshot whizzed on Nate's trucker hat as it hit one of the bandits in the head. We looked to where the shot came from the sound the direction was carried, leading to the source. Russell.

"No deal!" he yelled, glaring at Nate

"Goddamn it!" Nate cussed, glaring to our direction. "You know, I expected you to be my buddy there, Russ!"

"Sorry to disappoint!" Russell fired another shot at Nate, only for the bullet to hit one of his men in the eye

Nate just waved his hand away as he armed his AK-47. "Fuck it. Kill 'em all!"

Nate's group of what remained of Carver's camp and the bandits allied himself with started firing on us. I pulled out my Glock 17 and started firing beside Lee and Lilly, while Noah helped Jane barricade us with covering fire. Some of the group like Shel, Becca, and Wyatt went to look for a way out behind Howe's while Christa and Omid took AJ to keep him safe. Carley, Vince, and Jimmy helped us by giving Nate's crew a wide berth. I saw the tank making its way, with Nate on the front of it shooting at us with a mounted machine gun.

"This fight feels like a war!" I heard Carley yell

"No shit!" Noah shouted still taking cover. "We need to take out that tank before we take another hit!"

"Any suggestions?" Jim inquired killing the bandits using her hunting rifle

I scanned the room for anything we could use to deal, even opening a few crates left to see if there was anything. Fortunately for us, I manage to find an RPG in one of the crates as Lilly started to arm the rocket launcher while Lee and Jimmy gave her covering fire. A explosion erupted on the left side of the back entrance, leaving us to get a good view of the tank. It was heading our way, slowly aiming at us. Lilly tossed the RPG at Lee, who quickly aimed at the tank and squeezed the trigger. The missile propelled toward the tank as it hit directly on impact. Sucks that Nate got out of there before the RPG hit the tank. I just wish that perverted dick would stay dead forever.

"Everyone get the hell out!" Lilly ordered

WHAT?!

"That's insane, Lilly and you know it!" Jimmy said in disagreement

I could hardly blame him. It is insane! How the hell is she going to fend of a small army and Nate all by herself?!

We saw Lilly point her finger to the propane tank as she grabbed a satchel charge from her backpack. "I'm going to arm this charge, blow this place fucking place to pieces."

I looked at her with a deadpanned expression on my face. "You do know you might get killed in the process of blowing this fucking place to the ground?!"

"All I have to do is let them all in and then I could I fuse the charge to go off." Lilly explained to us as she armed the detonator. "In the meanwhile, you guys find the others and get the hell out of here!"

"Lilly-"

"Damn it, Lee, this is NOT for debate!" she scowled. "Go. GO!" she yelled leaving us to get out of Howe's. "Anne!" I looked back to Lilly as she threw the bag with medical supplies and food to me. "These are good people. You and Jimmy will be all right. I hope you find your parents someday."

I was just speechless. Lilly of all people hoped that I would find my mom and dad.

"Lilly, there's-"

I felt a hand pull my away, looking back to see it was Jimmy. What the hell is he doing?!

"Come on!"

"We can just-"

"If she said go, we go!" Jimmy lead me to Lee and the others were leaving out on the back entrance where their vehicles were. "This was her call Anne, and you know it."

I took one last look at Lilly when we left, seeing her smile all of a sudden. Ever since I met her, she has always been a bitch. Christa and her got in their share of arguments from time to time, even in Randy's short temper attitude. I last saw Lilly pull the pin as she held, crouching down on a crate when Nate's crew showed up inside.

No POV

"Well, well, well." Nate grinned wickedly as he grabbed Lilly by the wrist, pinning her directly to a wall. "I must admit you are one fine lady as I say so myself." he said giving her ass a rough squeeze

"Go to hell." Lilly spat in his face

"Ooh. You got a mouth on ya." Nate turned Lilly around to face him. "What do you say we find someplace to get our shag on? First things first, where are-" Nate stopped when he heard a clicking sound coming from the propane tank. "What the hell is that noise?" Nate fixed a cold glare. "You better start talking, missy."

Lilly simply just smiled deviously as she dropped the detonator, letting it hit the floor as the ticking went quicker and quicker. Nate looked under the propane tank, and saw a timer on the satchel charge heading to fifteen seconds counting. Nate's eyes went wide as saucers as he backed away.

"Everybody fucking RUN!" he yelled as he and his crew

Unfortunately for them, the propane tank exploded killing the rest of Nate's crew and half of the bandits that allied with him. Some were alone, burning in agony due to the flames sizzling their bodies. Nate on the other hand had a burnt shin and nearly burned hand as he crawled weakly. He applied weight on his knee in order to get up as he saw Howe's burn down to the ground, leaving it to led almost a herd of walkers behind him. He ran before the herd could arrive. As for Lilly, the last place she was nonetheless; was inside the stock room in Howe's. It was left unsure if she was alive or dead. Meanwhile the group drove off away from the destroyed hardware store once the base camp of William Carver. Anne and Clementine looked out the back window of the RV, staring at the black smoke from Carver's camp.

"Do you think she make it?" Clementine suddenly spoke to Lee and Anne, leaving the girl in the bandanna to nod her head

"We don't know, Clem. We don't know." Lee said as the group drove away in their vehicles, away from Howe's as far as possible


End file.
